Heritage World Coin Auctions
March Signature Sale 3096 25-27 Mar 2021
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Austria
Archduke Sigismund Franz gold Medallic 20 Ducat ND (c. 1663) MS61 NGC, Hall mint, KM-Unl., Fr-251 (Very Rare), Horsky-Unl., Julius-Unl., cf. Moser-Tursky-pg. 299, Fig. 526 (composition not stated, though off-metal strikes in 12 ducat weight are cited in the text). 69.26 gm. By Matthias König. An issue of both immense visual and historical status, almost certainly standing as the largest type--monetary or medallic--produced during Sigismund Franz's brief reign from 1662 until 1665. Assuming rule of Tirol upon the death of his elder brother, Archduke Ferdinand Karl, although Sigismund had never intended to rule and pursued an ecclesiastical path, he set about curbing mismanagement and excessive bureaucracy in his realm. Further seeking to reform the monetary system, he proceeded with undoing his brother's policies that had put the operations of the Hall mint on hold, except for the production of numerous special-occasion issues. Although Talers of his reign are quite scant in their own right, Moser and Tursky record that only 2 "special" medallic types were produced under his oversight (figures 526 and 527), which also exist in gold strikings. Both soundly have been said to have come from the hand of Matthias König, who Forrer states retired on a yearly pension of 367 florins in March 1663. This strongly points to a period of production for the present specimen during that year, as Moser and Tursky write that his pension was raised to that amount from 200 florins in April 1663 in concordance with Sigismund's desire to see to the fair payment of his officials.
This offering can only be regarded as of the highest rarity, if not downright unique in this weight. Not only missing from auction records of recent years, we note that the type was also completely absent from the Horsky and Julius collections, with the 1901 Katalog der Müzen- und Medaillen-Stempel-Sammlung des k. k. Hauptmünzamtes in Wien also making no mention whatsoever to such a piece. Appearing soundly Mint State with only minimal, grade-aligning chatter in the fields, we fully expect this selection to find a place of the utmost prominence in its next owner's cabinet.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/austria/austria-archduke-sigismund-franz-gold-medallic-20-ducat-nd-c-1663-ms61-ngc-/a/3096-30113.s?type=CoinArchives3096
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 150000-250000 USD
Archduke Sigismund Franz gold Medallic 20 Ducat ND (c. 1663) MS61 NGC, Hall mint, KM-Unl., Fr-251 (Very Rare), Horsky-Unl., Julius-Unl., cf. Moser-Tursky-pg. 299, Fig. 526 (composition not stated, though off-metal strikes in 12 ducat weight are cited in the text). 69.26 gm. By Matthias König. An issue of both immense visual and historical status, almost certainly standing as the largest type--monetary or medallic--produced during Sigismund Franz's brief reign from 1662 until 1665. Assuming rule of Tirol upon the death of his elder brother, Archduke Ferdinand Karl, although Sigismund had never intended to rule and pursued an ecclesiastical path, he set about curbing mismanagement and excessive bureaucracy in his realm. Further seeking to reform the monetary system, he proceeded with undoing his brother's policies that had put the operations of the Hall mint on hold, except for the production of numerous special-occasion issues. Although Talers of his reign are quite scant in their own right, Moser and Tursky record that only 2 "special" medallic types were produced under his oversight (figures 526 and 527), which also exist in gold strikings. Both soundly have been said to have come from the hand of Matthias König, who Forrer states retired on a yearly pension of 367 florins in March 1663. This strongly points to a period of production for the present specimen during that year, as Moser and Tursky write that his pension was raised to that amount from 200 florins in April 1663 in concordance with Sigismund's desire to see to the fair payment of his officials.
This offering can only be regarded as of the highest rarity, if not downright unique in this weight. Not only missing from auction records of recent years, we note that the type was also completely absent from the Horsky and Julius collections, with the 1901 Katalog der Müzen- und Medaillen-Stempel-Sammlung des k. k. Hauptmünzamtes in Wien also making no mention whatsoever to such a piece. Appearing soundly Mint State with only minimal, grade-aligning chatter in the fields, we fully expect this selection to find a place of the utmost prominence in its next owner's cabinet.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/austria/austria-archduke-sigismund-franz-gold-medallic-20-ducat-nd-c-1663-ms61-ngc-/a/3096-30113.s?type=CoinArchives3096
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 150000-250000 USD