Denmark 1624 piastre Dav-3520
This specimen was lot 1033 in Stack's Bowers sale of the L. E. Bruun Collection (Copenhagen, September 2024), where it sold for €57,500 (about US$63,722 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"Nicely Detailed Example of a Type Known as the "First Danish Colonial Coin", DENMARK. Piaster, 1624. Copenhagen Mint; Privy Mark: Clover. Christian IV. NGC AU Details--Cleaned. Mintmaster: Nicolaus Schwabe. A mild wiping doesn't deter from the fact that this very detailed example is one of the best of the few privately owned. This highly interesting and coveted Piaster (Piastre, Peso) was struck at the request and expense of The Danish East Indian Company as a trade coin and is often referred to as the first Danish colonial coin. The religious reverse legend, BENEDICTIO DOMINI DIVITES FACIT ("Put your trust in God and you will be rewarded") refers to the discovery of silver in the mountains of Norway."
This piastre was lighter in weight but higher in purity than the regular speciedaler. It was not struck again. Christian IV (r. 1588-1648) had a long but not particularly successful reign. His war with Sweden and his intervention in the Thirty Years War were costly and brought little gain.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.19 g, 0.916 fine silver, this specimen 26.98 g.
Catalog reference: KM-117; Dav-3520; Hede-66; Sieg-90; Schou-27; Bruun-5372.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
- Siegs Møntcatalog 2016: Danmark med Omrader, 48 ed., Frederikssund, Siegs Forlag ApS, 2015.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio, Jeremy Bostwick and Henrik Holt Christensen, The L. E. Bruun Collection - A Corpus of Scandinavian Monetary History Part I, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
Links to: