Künker Has Fascination of Minted Gold

I suppose we all have a fascination with minted gold coins, but in this case it’s actually an appropriate title for the Herman Schwarz Collection destined to be sold through the well-known Osnabrück auction firm, Künker, over several days in later September. The ancient coins from the Herman Schwarz Collections cross the block on September 25, followed by world coins and medals on Sept. 27-28. 

The Schwarz Collection encompasses roughly 1,500 gold coins and still it represents only auction 352 of the four Fall auctions Künker has scheduled. Auction 351 presents ancient coinage on September 25. Auction 353 offers the second part of The Axel Tesmer Collection of coinage of the Prussian Kings on September 28 and 29. With Auction 354 Künker nearly completes their vast Fall selection with medals and coins from medieval to modern times.

After Auction 354 closes, Künker’s Fall Auction’s will extend into two eLive Premium Auctions to be held on October 12 and 13 at www.eLive-Auction.de.

It may seem like a lot to take in, but you may recall from our article in the July issue of World Coin News that this is a big celebration year for the firm, as they reach the milestone 50 years of assisting collectors in all forms of numismatic pursuit. In fact, in this group of auctions you’ll witness a prime example of Künker’s commitments to its customers in The Fascination of Minted Gold – Herman Schwarz Collection.

Schwarz had worked at building his collection with the Munich coin shop of Julius Jenke. Jenke died in 1957 and Schwarz passed on in 1961. This was an era in our hobby when relationships were an important vehicle for learning numismatics.

That relationship between collector and dealer has always been very important. Whether buying or selling, the Munich coin dealer Julius Jenke was happy to advise collectors in all numismatic matters. Jenke had second generation experience as is father too had been a coin dealer. Jenke had studied history and art history in Munich, Geneva and Berlin before opening his coin shop in the 1920s. This classical education, so generously shared, likely helped Herman Schwarz in refining his collecting pursuits.

When Herman Schwarz’s heirs decided to sell the collection, they naturally looked for Julius Jenke. They learned that Egon Beckenbauer had taken over Jenke’s firm and ran it until selling to the private bank Aufhäuser, which became Hauck & Aufhäuser. Lastly in 2010 Hauck & Aufhäuser sold to Künker.

The heirs of Herman Schwarz’s collection contacted Künker and the honorable auction firm set about to live up to the unspoken contract of all dealers, to assist in the disbursement of collections they helped to build. That’s one of the longer chains of lineage you are likely to ever see, but those 60 years from 1961 to 2021 saw a lot of change happening in the coin market.

The Schwarz Collection is just one of many great private collections offered in Künker’s Fall Auction Sales. In addition to the segments mentioned above you can also look forward to two collections formed by engineers; one of spectacular ancient Greek and Roman rarities and another of coins and medals of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

A connoisseurs collection of ancients is offered in auction 351, which features coins great style, detailed engraving, finest quality and excellently documented provenance. There are plenty of high estimates to be seen in this group, but sharp collectors on a budget can also find nice coins with estimates as low as about $30. It’s a great mix worthy of this big celebratory sale.

In March 2021, the first part of the Axel Tesmer Collection attracted worldwide attention. That sale realized many record results and this second part of the collection may do so too. You can read our article on this event in an earlier issue of WCN from the Spring.

Part 2 of the Tesmer Collection comprises Auction 353 and offers over 1,000 lots of coins of the Prussian kings starting with the coronation of Frederick I in 1701. The material for the reign of Frederick II the Great is especially abundant comprising about half of this section.

Tesmer collected high quality examples and you’ll see some types of which only one piece may be available for private collection. But there are more common types in high grade which will allow those within a tighter budget to participate in Auction 353 too.

Tesmer even located good quality examples of the extremely rare coins from the Seven Years’ War and that’s pretty difficult to do. Prussia had a lasting impact on German history and the Tesmer Collection really works as a numismatic lesson of this fact. Each of the Tesmer sales will assuredly become references on many numismatic bookshelves.

This week of live auctions will be concluded on 30 September and 1 October 2021 by auction 354 with coins and medals from medieval and modern times, plus German coins after 1871.

That’s a pretty broad spectrum and with it you’ll see many interesting items from scarce multiple ducats to a little unique bracteate.

The unique bracteate originates from the imperial mint in Mühlhausen and was minted under King Conrad III who ruled from 1138 to 1152. The provenance of this showpiece can be traced back to 1905.

There are so many remarkable rarities among the German coins and medals that it is impossible to feature them all in a short preview. However, you can view lots online or contact Künker directly for additional information.

To order catalog contact Künker, Nobbenburger Straße 4a, 49076 Osnabrück; phone: +49 541 962020, fax: +49 541 9620222; or via e-mail: service@kuenker.de. You can access the auction catalogs online at www.kuenker.de. If you want to submit your bid from your computer at home, please remember to register for this service in good time.