Cologne 1750-IK M ducat Fr-838
This specimen was lot 33532 in Heritage sale 3114 (New York, January 2024), where it did not sell. The lot description[1] noted, "German States: Cologne. Clemens August von Bayern gold Ducat 1750-M MS62 NGC, Bonn mint. Initial as M variety. Brilliant, sun-gold appearances glisten across this near-Choice specimen, broadcasting fully struck central devices in impressive relief." Both the city and the archbishopric were mediatized in 1801 and handed to the French Republic and later Napoleon's empire. At the Congress of Vienna, the city became part of the Prussian Rhineland. The archbishop issued three different ducats (KM 145, 146, 147) in 1750, presumably all for the same occasion. He was a committed pluralist, being simultaneously archbishop of Cologne and bishop of Paderborn, Munster, Hildesheim and Osnabrück and grandmaster of the Teutonic Order. The revenues from all of these states were needed to support his lavish building projects. This rare ducat is listed with initials 1750-M and 1750-IK M. The reverse motto, "NON MIHI SED POPULO", means, "Not for me but for the people".
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM 147, Fr-838.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2024 January 16 - 18 NYINC World Coins Signature Auction #3114, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2023.
Link to: