Prussia 1756-B friedrichs d'or Fr-2400

Sincona sale 46, lot 123

This specimen was lot 123 in Sincona sale 46 (Zürich, May 2018), where it sold for 2,800 CHF (about US$3,360 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"Brandenburg/Prussia, Friedrich II. 1740-1786. Friedrichs dor 1756 B, Breslau. Brustbild im Harnisch mit Ordensband und Kreuz nach rechts. Rv. Gekrönter Adler auf Schild mit B zwischen Waffen, im Abschnitt die geteilte Jahreszahl 17 - 56. Seltener Jahrgang/Rare date. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. Kleine Kratzer. (Germany, kingdom of Prussia, Frederick II, 1740-86, frederick d'or of 1756, Breslau mint. Obverse: armored bust with sash and cross to right; reverse: crowned eagle with shield between piled arms, mintmark dividing date below. Very fine-extremely fine, Small scratches.)"

Altho Frederick began his reign by minting ducats, in 1741 he switched to friedrichs d'or, a renamed version of the wilhelm d'or minted by his father. The early issues are rare but the coin later came to be quite common and was imitated by other North German states as a five thaler gold coin. This rare friedrichs d'or of 1750-57 and 1764 initiated the use of the "B" mintmark for the Breslau mint.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 6.68 g, 0.903 fine gold, this specimen 6.65 g.

Catalog reference: Olding 413b, Kluge 43.4-103, Fr-2400, KM 948 (listed under Silesia).

Source:

• Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
• ^[1]Richter, Jürg, Auction 46, Gold Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2018.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.

Link to:

• 1755-B friedrichs d'or, uniformed bust
• 1755-A friedrichs d'or, bare bust
• 1755-A friedrichs d'or, uniformed bust
• Prussia 1756-B kreuzer struck in gold (KM Pn2)
• 1756-B groschel
• 1756-B 18 kreuzer, crowned bust
• 1756-D mariengroschen, struck in gold
• 1756-D 4 mariengroschen, struck in gold
• 1756-A E 6 groscher, armored bust
• 1756-E 6 groscher, armored bust
• 1756-S E 6 groscher, armored bust
• 1756-E 6 groscher, crowned bust
• 1756-A 8 gute groschen
• 1756-D 8 gute groschen
• 1756-A 1/48 thaler
• 1756-A 1/24 thaler
• 1756-F 1/24 thaler
• 1756-A 1/6 thaler
• 1756-C 1/6 thaler
• 1756-F 1/6 thaler
• 1756-A E 18 groscher
• 1756-A halb friedrichs d’or, uniformed bust
• 1756-A friedrichs d'or, bare bust
• 1757-B ducat
• 1757-A friedrichs d'or, uniformed bust
• 1757-A friedrichs d'or, bare bust
• Coins and currency dated 1756
• return to coins of German States, Prussia