Brunswick-Luneburg-Calenberg 1677-HB 6 thaler Dav-LSA209

Künker sale 400, lot 36

This specimen was lot 36 in Künker sale 400 (Berlin, February 2024), where it sold for €6,500 (about US$8,433 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"BRAUNSCHWEIG UND LÜNEBURG, BRAUNSCHWEIG-CALENBERG, Johann Friedrich, 1665-1679. Löser zu 6 Reichstalern 1677, Clausthal. Ausbeute der Harzer Gruben. Mit Wertpunze 6 auf dem Rand; Münzmeister Heinrich Bonhorst. Gekröntes Monogramm, umher Lorbeerkranz, umgeben von 14 kleinen gekrönten Wappen auf Palmzweigen//Roß springt l. darüber hält eine aus Wolken kommende Hand einen Lorbeerkranz, unten Bergwerkslandschaft und Grubenquerschnitt mit arbeitenden Bergmännern. Von großer Seltenheit. Mehrere kl. Randfehler und Kratzer, sehr schön. Exemplar der Auktion Button 103, Frankfurt/Main 1960, Nr. 1232 und der Preussag Collection, Auktion London Coin Galleries/Künker 2, London 2016, Nr. 1150. (Germany, duchy of Brunswick-Luneburg-Calenberg, John Frederick, 1665-79, six thaler of 1677, Clausthal mint, for the Harz mints, with a "6" punched in the edge. Crowned monogram, laurel wreath around, surrounded by 14 small crowned shields; reverse: a stallion leaps left, mining landscape below with water wheel. Extremely rare, several small edge defects and scratches, very fine.)
Auf dem Rand ist das Exemplar mit "6" (Reichstalern) gepunzt, obwohl es nach dem Gewicht nur wenig mehr als 5 Reichstaler wert ist. Bei Müseler wird es als 5 1/2, bei Welter als 5 Taler gewertet. Die Löser des Herzogs Johann Friedrich mit der Jahreszahl 1677 lassen sich mit ihren Gewichten meist keinen genauen Talerwerten zuordnen. (This specimen is punched with a "6" (thaler) on the edge, although based on its weight it is only worth a little more than 5 thaler. In Müseler it is valued as 5½, in Welter as 5 thalers. The weights of Duke Johann Friedrich's coins of the year 1677 usually cannot be assigned to exact thaler values.)"

Christian Ludwig was duke in Calenberg 1641-48 and in Celle 1648-65. His younger brother Georg Wilhelm was duke in Calenberg 1648-65 and in Celle 1665-1705. Another brother, Johann Friedrich, shown here, was duke in Calenberg 1665-79. The last brother, Ernst August, was duke in Calenberg 1679-98 and elector of Hannover 1692-98. Ernst August's son George inherited Calenberg and Hannover in 1698, Celle in 1705 and the throne of Great Britain in 1714. Altho this coin is mentioned multiple times in the various references, there seems to be confusion as to the exact denomination. The auctioneers state that a "6" is punched into the edge of this example which, of course, is not visible in the photos shown here. The SCWC crosses catalog number KM 200 to Dav-LS210 but no such number exists in Davenport's third edition.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: silver, this specimen 155,49 g.

Catalog reference: KM 200 (listed as a 6 thaler dated 1677-RB); Dav-LSA209 (listed as a 5½ thaler), Duve 5 M; Müseler 10.4.2/35 (listed as a 5½ Thaler); Welter 1673 (listed as a 5 Thaler); Kluge (Slg. Preussag) 18.1; Preussag Collection (Auktion London Coin Galleries/Künker 2) 1150 (this coin).

Source:

Craig, William D., Germanic Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II, Mountain View, CA: 1954.
Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
Davenport, John S., Large Size Silver Coins of the World, 16th-19th Centuries, 3rd Ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1991.
^[1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 400: Selected löser of the Dukes of Guelph from the Friedrich Popken Collection | Numismatic treasures from the Medieval and Modern Times, a. o. "multiple portraits" from a Westphalian private collection, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.

Link to:

Brunswick-Luneburg-Calenberg 1677-HB 6 thaler Dav-LSA209

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