Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
January 2021 Auction 15-16 Jan 2021
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GERMANY. Cologne. Real, 1516. NGC VF Details--Polished.
Fr-756a (this coin cited); cf. Dav-9148 (as a silver taler); Noss-Unlisted. Weight: 14.36 gms. "Three Kings" or "Ursula" type. Obverse: IASPAR MELCHIO BALTAS A D, the three kings/wise men/magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar), each standing facing around coat-of-arms, holding scepters, and their gifts to be given to Christ (gold, frankincense, and myrrh); O HELI COLON in exergue; Reverse: SANGVIE HI ROSEO REGNA VICERE SVPENA, ship with two banners bearing the Pope, St. Ursula, and 11,000 virgins on their pilgrimage to Rome. This INCREDIBLY RARE and likely UNIQUE striking in gold is quite a sight to behold. Mirroring the silver taler which parallels the module, this gold issue is half that of the 2 Reals--also excessively rare but not quite as much as the present example. This design, highly religious in nature, celebrates the three magi who visited Jesus as well as the impending martyrdom of St. Ursula and 11,000 virgins, ambushed by the Huns near Cologne on their way to Rome. This pairing of iconographic types was revisited a century later with silver and gold issue, though the earlier types present that much more rustic, medieval flair. For comparison, the only other gold issues of any similarity are ones from ca. 1620 with a flan at the weight of 4 ducats (12.76 gms), realizing a total of 132,000 Euros in late 2018; at the weight of 5 ducats (15.83 gms), realizing just over 50,000 Euros in late 2019; and at the weight of 6 ducats (19.32 gms), appearing in this very sale. Clearly, an iconic and ultimate piece for the most advanced of gold cabinets or religious-themed collections.
Fr-756a (this coin cited); cf. Dav-9148 (as a silver taler); Noss-Unlisted. Weight: 14.36 gms. "Three Kings" or "Ursula" type. Obverse: IASPAR MELCHIO BALTAS A D, the three kings/wise men/magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar), each standing facing around coat-of-arms, holding scepters, and their gifts to be given to Christ (gold, frankincense, and myrrh); O HELI COLON in exergue; Reverse: SANGVIE HI ROSEO REGNA VICERE SVPENA, ship with two banners bearing the Pope, St. Ursula, and 11,000 virgins on their pilgrimage to Rome. This INCREDIBLY RARE and likely UNIQUE striking in gold is quite a sight to behold. Mirroring the silver taler which parallels the module, this gold issue is half that of the 2 Reals--also excessively rare but not quite as much as the present example. This design, highly religious in nature, celebrates the three magi who visited Jesus as well as the impending martyrdom of St. Ursula and 11,000 virgins, ambushed by the Huns near Cologne on their way to Rome. This pairing of iconographic types was revisited a century later with silver and gold issue, though the earlier types present that much more rustic, medieval flair. For comparison, the only other gold issues of any similarity are ones from ca. 1620 with a flan at the weight of 4 ducats (12.76 gms), realizing a total of 132,000 Euros in late 2018; at the weight of 5 ducats (15.83 gms), realizing just over 50,000 Euros in late 2019; and at the weight of 6 ducats (19.32 gms), appearing in this very sale. Clearly, an iconic and ultimate piece for the most advanced of gold cabinets or religious-themed collections.
Read more about this item in our Coin of the Week blog post, here.
Ex: Stack's (1/2008) Lot # 2632 @ $200,000 [!]
Estimate: $90000.00- $120000.00