Denmark 1813-M rigsbankdaler
This specimen was lot 1157 in Stack's Bowers sale of the L. E. Bruun Collection (Copenhagen, September 2024), where it sold for €9,000 (about US$9,974 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"Expressive and Beautiful Specimen Strike with Much Die Polishing, DENMARK. Rigsbankdaler, 1813. Copenhagen Mint. Frederik VI. NGC SPECIMEN-66. Mintmaster: Ole Varberg. Engraver: Christian Andreas Müller (M). Bearing all the evidence of a special strike, this Rigsbankdaler displays a most beautiful essence. The surfaces overrun with much effuse die polish, and the bright luster captures the eye when rotated in light. Vibrant and wholesome color is seen, being particularly forceful at the peripheries. The rims are squared off and the details display commendable strike quality. A thoroughly appealing example, and one that should raise any collector's level of excitement.
This is the only known coin type engraved by Christian Andreas Müller (1783-1877), and the present example should clearly be seen as a trial strike. Müller wasn't given a permanent position at the Royal Mint and went on to become a postmaster in Randers, Jutland."
The SCWC also notes 1813-M (KM 683.1), 1813-IC/MF (KM 683.3), 1813-IC/CB (KM 683.4) and 1819-IC/FF (KM 683.5) for the type, each with its own catalog number. KM 683.2 is the most common. Danish coinage suffered a reform in 1813. Where formerly 96 skilling = one speciedaler, now 96 rigsbankskilling = one rigsbankdaler and two rigsbankdaler = one speciedaler (no gold was issued during this period). The coinage would be reformed again in 1854 and 1875.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14.44 g, 0.875 fine silver, 31 mm diameter, this specimen 14.42 g.
Catalog reference: KM-683.1; Hede-24A; Sieg-26.1; Schou-1; Bruun-8025.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
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