Denmark 1688 2 ducats Fr-167
The first specimen was lot 23093 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $31,200. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Shimmering Multiple Ducat with Connection to the Danish Gold Coast in Africa, DENMARK. 2 Ducats, 1688. Copenhagen Mint. Christian V. NGC MS-63+. Obverse: Draped bust right, wearing plumed helmet and Order of the White Elephant; Reverse: Aerial view of Fort Christiansborg (Osa Castle) on an island and wi[th] large, billowing banner flying atop the turret. A VERY RARE and sharply struck specimen, this highly Choice example exudes a near-prooflike nature with its resoundingly brilliant fields and lightly frosted devices. A fairly large die crack is noted on the reverse, though it is easily disregarded, as it clearly happened at the beginning of the mintage for the type, with seemingly all other known examples displaying it as well. Furthering its historical appeal that much more is the fact that it offers a bird's eye view of the Danish outpost on Africa's Gold Coast, Fort Christiansborg, located in what is now Ghana along the Gulf of Guinea."
The second specimen was lot 1110 in Stack's Bowers sale of the L. E. Bruun Collection (Copenhagen, September 2024), where it sold for €55,200 (about US$61,173 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"A Unique Type with Lettered Edge and Featuring Fort Christiansborg, DENMARK. 2 Ducats, 1688. Copenhagen Mint. Christian V. NGC MS-63 Prooflike. Mintmaster: Gregorius Sesemann. A UNIQUE example with lettered edge reading: PIETATE ET IUSTITIA (royal motto). Displaying a brilliant and handsome luster, this Double Ducat glows with a bright luster and the fields display mirrored prooflike surfaces. The sharp details are well executed, with icy frosting besetting them. Light friction likely accounts for the technical grade, and a pronounced die crack can be seen on the reverse. A most appealing example, with a stunning and intricate reverse depiction.
The reverse offers a bird's eye view of the Danish outpost on Africa's Gold Coast, Fort Christiansborg (now Osu Castle), located in what is now Ghana along the Gulf of Guinea. The fortress became the Danish administrative headquarters of Guinea in 1685 and was predominantly used as a place of embarkation of enslaved local captives for the Danish colonies in the Caribbean."
This one year type is very rare, like the rest of the gold issues of Denmark during the period. It comes with lettered or plain edge and accompanies a single ducat and a quadruple ducat.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.98 g, 0.979 fine gold. The first specimen is 6.88 g, the second specimen is 6.87 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-167; KM-395.1; H-23B. The second specimen is Fr-167; KM-395.1; Hede-23A; Sieg-94; Schou-2; Bruun-7035.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- Siegs Møntcatalog 2016: Danmark med Omrader, 48 ed., Frederikssund, Siegs Forlag ApS, 2015.* Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
- [2]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.
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