Bavaria 1866 thaler Dav-611
This specimen was lot 4966 in Künker sale 386 (Osnabrück, March 2023), where it sold for €260 (about US$336 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BAYERN, HERZOGTUM, SEIT 1623 KURFÜRSTENTUM, SEIT 1806 KÖNIGREICH, Ludwig II. 1864-1886. Vereinstaler 1866. Feine Patina, vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. (kingdom of Bavaria, Louis II, 1864-86, union thaler of 1866. Fine patina, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
Three different Bavarian thalers exist for 1866: KM 869 (shield reverse, parted hair), KM 877 (Madonna reverse, struck 1865-71, shown here) and KM 886.1 (shield reverse, no part in hair) Bavaria continued to issue coins using the united empire standard in the denominations of 2, 5, 10 and 20 mark until 1918 when the empire collapsed at the end of World War One. The old thalers continued to circulate as three mark pieces. King Ludwig II ruled until 1886, when he was deposed in favor of his brother. Disliked for his extravagance and his homosexuality, he died soon after under very mysterious circumstances.
Recorded mintage: unknown but common.
Specification: 18.52 g, 0.900 fine silver, this specimen 18.48 g.
Catalog reference: KM 877, AKS 176; Dav-611; Kahnt 131; Thun 105.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 386: Brakteaten | Mainz | Bibliothek Prof. Dr. Niklot Klüßendorf | Mittelalter und Neuzeit | Goldprägungen | Deutsche Münzen ab 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2023.
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