Saxony 1566-HB thaler Dav-9795
The first specimen was lot 1675 in Jean Elsen sale 117 (Brussels, June 2013), where it sold for €85 (about US$134 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ALLEMAGNE, SAXE, August (1553-1586), AR Taler, 1566 HB, Dresde. Droit: B. cuirassé à droite dans une couronne, tenant une épée sur l'épaule et une masse d'armes. Revers: Ecu orné sous trois heaumes. Graffiti 8 Apr au droit. presque Très Beau. (Germany, Saxony, August (1553-86), silver thaler of 1566, Dresden mint. Obverse: armored bust to right bearing a sword. Reverse: ornate arms, three helmets above. Graffiti on obverse, about very fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 70157 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, May 2020), where it sold for $432. The catalog description[2] noted, "GERMANY. Saxony. Taler, 1566-HB. Dresden Mint. August. NGC AU-55. Deeply toned and rather well struck for the type, this piece emanates from the middle period of August's 33 year reign as the duke of Saxony. Some hints of luster remain in some of the protected areas." Saxony, one of the larger divisions of Germany and blessed with numerous silver mines, issued large numbers of thalers. This Davenport type was struck 1556-67 at Dresden and is common.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, the first specimen 28.34 g.
Catalog reference: KM MB182, Dav-9795, Schnee, 713.
- Davenport, John S., German Talers, 1500-1600, Frankfurt am Main, Numismatischer Verlag P. N. Schulten, 1979.
- Nicol, N. Douglas, Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of German Coins, 1501-Present, 3rd ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
- Gernot Schnee, Sächsiche Taler, 1500-1800, Frankfurt Am Main, P. N. Schulten, 1982.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, Vente Publique 117: Collection Jean-Jacques Symoens, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses fils, S.A., 2013.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The May 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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