Heritage World Coin Auctions
March Signature Sale 3096 25-27 Mar 2021
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Austria
Salzburg. Michael von Küenburg gold 8 Ducat 1554 AU Details (Obverse Graffiti) NGC, Fr-607 (Very Rare; this coin), Probszt-404, Numitor Collection-Unl., Zöttl-441. 28.05gm. The largest denomination minted during Michael von Küenburg's tenure as Prince-Archbishop, and a design that will instantly be familiar to collectors of the series from his contemporary Guldiner (though no Guldiner dated 1554 is known). From a production run of a mere 2 dates, this inaugural year and 1559, we are not aware of another example having come to auction in the last 25 years, as this specific date was missing from Künker's 2015 sale of the Numitor Collection, while Zöttl's plate coin for the 8 Ducat is an example dated 1559. Despite light cleaning from long ago, and what appears to be a small "8" above St. Rupert's left shoulder, this specimen presents an indisputably bold strike, virtually no evidence of weakness to the designs, and traces of die polish lines are still discernable amongst the protected regions. While it is difficult to speculate on the potential value of such a coin, especially one that has appeared so infrequently at auction, we would note that Friedberg cites this piece as previously bringing 34,000 CHF in a 1996 Zurich sale (likely Hess-Divo's October Auction 268), and as demand has not diminished for these illustrious multiple ducats, we expect plenty of interest from collectors as such.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/austria/austria-salzburg-michael-von-kuenburg-gold-8-ducat-1554-au-details-obverse-graffiti-ngc-/a/3096-30088.s?type=CoinArchives3096
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 20000-30000 USD
Salzburg. Michael von Küenburg gold 8 Ducat 1554 AU Details (Obverse Graffiti) NGC, Fr-607 (Very Rare; this coin), Probszt-404, Numitor Collection-Unl., Zöttl-441. 28.05gm. The largest denomination minted during Michael von Küenburg's tenure as Prince-Archbishop, and a design that will instantly be familiar to collectors of the series from his contemporary Guldiner (though no Guldiner dated 1554 is known). From a production run of a mere 2 dates, this inaugural year and 1559, we are not aware of another example having come to auction in the last 25 years, as this specific date was missing from Künker's 2015 sale of the Numitor Collection, while Zöttl's plate coin for the 8 Ducat is an example dated 1559. Despite light cleaning from long ago, and what appears to be a small "8" above St. Rupert's left shoulder, this specimen presents an indisputably bold strike, virtually no evidence of weakness to the designs, and traces of die polish lines are still discernable amongst the protected regions. While it is difficult to speculate on the potential value of such a coin, especially one that has appeared so infrequently at auction, we would note that Friedberg cites this piece as previously bringing 34,000 CHF in a 1996 Zurich sale (likely Hess-Divo's October Auction 268), and as demand has not diminished for these illustrious multiple ducats, we expect plenty of interest from collectors as such.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/austria/austria-salzburg-michael-von-kuenburg-gold-8-ducat-1554-au-details-obverse-graffiti-ngc-/a/3096-30088.s?type=CoinArchives3096
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 20000-30000 USD