03-02-2016 – 01-01-1970
Auction sale 271
Rarities from all over the world at the Künker Berlin auction
At this 271st auction, Künker will call out 912 lots. Every single item is hand-picked and is characterized either by its rarity, its provenience, its historical significance or its quality. And sometimes a specimen even represents all of these characteristics.
No. 499: France. Consulat. 1799/1804. 5 francs AN 10 (1801/1802) A, Paris. Gold pattern by A. Dupré. Gadoury 563a. Ex Louis II of Monaco Collection. Only known specimen in private hands. Almost brilliant uncirculated. Estimate: 125.000 euros.
A splendid example is the most expensive piece of the auction. It’s a 5 franc pattern of year ten after the storming of the Bastille. It’s rare because it’s the only known specimen in private hands. Its pedigree is exclusive, because it stems from the collection of Louis II, prince of Monaco. The coin is historically important, because it represents numismatic evidence of the administrative structures of Napoleon’s empire, which originated in the French Revolution. And last but not least, the coin is in perfect condition. The appraisal for this icon of the early rule of Napoleon is 125.000 euros. That’s a lot of money, but don’t let it scare you. The Berlin auction will offer many rarities estimated in the three digit region.
No. 398: Germany / German Empire. Silver medal 1900, on the war in China (“Boxer Rebellion”). Very rare. Extremely fine to brilliant uncirculated. Estimate: 600 euros.
One example is an unsigned silver medal from 1900. It commemorates the German campaign to China to fight the so called “Boxers”. This piece is rare and also historically important: it recalls one of the most famous incidents of the inglorious German colonial history. Of course the medal is in perfect condition. This rarity is estimated at 600 euros, but the final hammer price is expected to be higher. Be sure, the Berlin auction will hold pieces for everybody.
No. 17: Germany / Bavaria. Maximilian I (IV) Joseph, 1799-1806-1825. Convention taler 1802. AKS 7 (this coin). Kahnt 54 (this coin). Ex sale MMAG 74 (1988), 976 and ex Heidelberger Münzhandlung 58 (2011), 21. Extremely rare. Almost brilliant uncirculated. Estimate: 50.000 euros.
Especially collectors of pre-1871 Germany will be happy to find many gorgeous talers and exceptionally rare multiple ducats. This time the emphasis is placed on Prussia and Saxony. But there will be also other regions, pieces will be called for, which have not been seen on the market in quite a time. Here a few examples:
From the year 1802 dates a very rare Bavarian konvention taler featuring the inscription “Pro Deo et Populo”, which means “For God and People” (17, almost BU, estimate: 50.000 euros). The Abby of Fulda issued a septuplicate ducat of 1688, struck with the dies of a taler made by the famous die cutter P. H. Müller of Augsburg (180, EF-BU, estimate: 60.000 euros). A piece like this has only been on the market once before. It was auctioned off in 1927 by Adolph E. Cahn. In his description of this piece, the auctioneer stated, that the specimen had “never appeared” before.
No. 301: Germany / Saxony. Friedrich August I, 1694-1733. Reichstaler, no date (1705), Dresden, on the Restauration of the Polish Order of the White Eagle. Schnee 1001. Very rare. Extremely fine to brilliant uncirculated. Estimate: 50.000 euros.
Last but not least, we like to mention a third coin. This undated Saxon taler was struck on the occasion of the Restauration of the Polish Order of the White Eagle in 1705 by Friedrich August I (301, EF-BU). The coins reads “Pro Fide Rege et Lege”, which translates to “For faith, king and law”.
No. 432: Holy Roman Empire / Salzburg. Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, 1587-1612. 12 ducats 1594. Tower minting. Fb. 670. Ex Popken Collection, Künker Auction 202 (2012), 1047 and ex Dolenz Collection, SBV Auction 40 (1996), 123. Very rare. Good extremely fine. Estimate: 75.000 euros.
There are almost 400 lots from pre-1871 Germany which will be auctioned off. They will be followed by 60 lots from the Holy Roman Empire. Here too, many rarities will be sold that collectors dream about. Let’s start with a 1594 10 ducat from Leopold I (415, EF, estimate: 60.000 euros) and a Salzburg tower minting of 12 ducats from 1594 (432, EF, estimate: 75.000 euros). At this point we would like to advise you of our fantastic lots struck by various Austrian noble houses. They range from the princes of Auersberg to the counts of Schlick. The assortment is plentiful and the pieces for sale are rare and consistently extremely fine.
No. 624: Hungary. Wladislaus II, 1490-1516. Quadruple reichstalerklippe 1626 CC, Kaschau. Dav. 4716. Very rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 100.000 euros.
Did we mention yet, that the collector of foreign and overseas coins will also be offered a lot? There will be, once again, many interesting pieces from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. But it is mostly France, which stands out: from Philip VI (1328-1350) to Napoléon „IV“, for whom a 2 franc pattern with the date of 1874 was produced, but which never circulated (505, almost BU, estimate: 1.500 euros). Whether it’s a Spanish cincuentín of 1613 (607, EF, estimate: 40.000 euros), a quadruple reichstalerklippe of Gabriel Bethlen, the prince of Transylvania from 1613-1629 (624, EF, estimate: 100.000 euros) or the legendary holey dollar from the colony of New South Wales (625, EF, estimate: 25.000 euros) – the rarities come form all over the world.
No. 641: USA. Early American Tokens. ½ penny, no date, brass, issued by Francis Lovelace, governor of the province of New York from 1668-1673. S. 47. Very rare. Very fine. Estimate: 10.000 euros.
Especially collectors of US coins should study the catalogue thoroughly. There are about 30 lots to go over the auction block. Among them are rarities such as a Lovelace token, carrying the value of half a penny and issued by its namesake Francis Lovelace, the governor of the province of New York from 1668-1673 (641, VF, estimate: 10.000 euros). Last but not least, many mintings from the gold mines of California will be on sale.
No. 691: Russia. Peter I, 1682-1725. 10 kopeks (grivenniks) 1706, Kadashevsky Moscow mint. Diakov 228. Expert opinion by Igor Shiryakov, State Museum Moscow. Very rare. Almost brilliant uncirculated. Estimate: 60.000 euros.
Now it’s time to take a look at the Russian coins under which there are of course many rarities. We will limit this overview to three magnificent pieces: a very rare 1706 grivennik of Peter the Great, which was minted at the Kadashevsky Moscow mint (691, almost BU, estimate: 60.000 euros), a truly rare ruble of Czarina Elizabeth from 1757 from St. Petersburg (733, almost BU, estimate: 75.000 euros) and a gold medal commemorating the crowning of Czar Paul I in Moscow, also very rare (784, EF, estimate: 60.000 euros).
The catalogues may be ordered at Künker, Nobbenburgerstr. 4a, 49 076 Osnabrück; Phone: 0541 / 96 20 20; Fax: 0541 / 96 20 222; oder via email.
The complete auction catalogue you may find here online too.