Czechoslovakia 1929 2 dukaty
This specimen was lot 30062 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2022), where it sold for $9,000. The catalog description[1] noted, "CZECHOSLOVAKIA. 2 Ducats, 1929. Kremnica Mint. NGC MS-65. A sparkling Gem, the autumnal golden example is richly lustered and spared of distracting marking. Some rusty spots of toning highlight the obverse, breaking the otherwise coherent surface color. A dazzling beauty, and certain to have no shortage of suitors when offered at auction. From the Augustana Collection." This type was struck 1929-38 and 1951 along with a dukat, 2 dukaty and ten dukatu. This type is rarely seen circulated, suggesting the hoarding of what few examples escaped government vaults. The obverse portrait is of "good" king Wenceslas, he of the well-known Christmas carol. During the brief existence of the first republic of Czechoslovakia (1918-39), the Kremnica mint managed to produce gold one dukat, two dukaty and five and ten dukatu issues featuring king Wenceslas. This commemorative is considered a non-circulating medal, altho the regular Wenceslas ducats didn't circulate either.
Recorded mintage: 3,262.
Specification: 17.45 g, .986 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-1; KM-9; Novotny-17.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 ANA Auction - Ancients & World Coins - Featuring The Salton Collection Part III, the Augustana Collection and the Robert C. Knepper Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
Link to: