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NYINC Signature Sale 3082 21 Jan 2020
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German States
Wismar. Swedish Administration - Karl XII gun-metal Siege Plate Money 8 Schilling 1715 AU (Reverse Scratches), KM119 (under Germany), AAJ-77 (R; same "cast"). 64x60mm. 311.03gm. An extremely rare siege piece stemming from the later years of the Great Northern War, and distinctive among the plate money issues produced by the Swedish both in terms of its metallic content--produced from melted down cannons--and its crude manufacture. Wismar had been acquired by the Swedish through the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, and found itself besieged by a coalition of Danish, Norwegian, Russian, Saxon, Prussian, and Hannoverian troops beginning in 1712. Although it would withstand the siege until 1716, by autumn 1715 a coinage shortage was causing significant difficulties for the payment of garrison troops. Issues such as the present were consequently produced from melted cannon, which was then cast into sheets and sawed into blanks before being stamped with individual punches. While one "die" did not produce each "coin", we note that the piece on offer here carries the "casting" breaks as the example plated by Ahlström in his Sveriges besittningsmynt. We also note that the present specimen has been reviewed by several major experts in Europe, who believe all details to be correct, and only the weight to be slightly light for the issue.
Following the surrender of the Swedish garrison in April 1716, most examples of these plates were collected and destroyed. An estimated 60 pieces of all denominations are believed to exist, with perhaps fewer than 10 of this denomination known, most in museums. For comparison, we note that the most recent example to come to auction brought $15,000 in Stack's January 2017 NYINC Auction.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/german-states-wismar-swedish-administration-karl-xii-gun-metal-siege-plate-money-8-schilling-1715-au-reverse-scra/a/3082-33929.s?type=CoinArchives3082
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 1000-2000 USD
Wismar. Swedish Administration - Karl XII gun-metal Siege Plate Money 8 Schilling 1715 AU (Reverse Scratches), KM119 (under Germany), AAJ-77 (R; same "cast"). 64x60mm. 311.03gm. An extremely rare siege piece stemming from the later years of the Great Northern War, and distinctive among the plate money issues produced by the Swedish both in terms of its metallic content--produced from melted down cannons--and its crude manufacture. Wismar had been acquired by the Swedish through the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, and found itself besieged by a coalition of Danish, Norwegian, Russian, Saxon, Prussian, and Hannoverian troops beginning in 1712. Although it would withstand the siege until 1716, by autumn 1715 a coinage shortage was causing significant difficulties for the payment of garrison troops. Issues such as the present were consequently produced from melted cannon, which was then cast into sheets and sawed into blanks before being stamped with individual punches. While one "die" did not produce each "coin", we note that the piece on offer here carries the "casting" breaks as the example plated by Ahlström in his Sveriges besittningsmynt. We also note that the present specimen has been reviewed by several major experts in Europe, who believe all details to be correct, and only the weight to be slightly light for the issue.
Following the surrender of the Swedish garrison in April 1716, most examples of these plates were collected and destroyed. An estimated 60 pieces of all denominations are believed to exist, with perhaps fewer than 10 of this denomination known, most in museums. For comparison, we note that the most recent example to come to auction brought $15,000 in Stack's January 2017 NYINC Auction.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/german-states/german-states-wismar-swedish-administration-karl-xii-gun-metal-siege-plate-money-8-schilling-1715-au-reverse-scra/a/3082-33929.s?type=CoinArchives3082
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 1000-2000 USD