Löser Becomes a Winner at Berlin Auction
A rare and possibly unique 1619 gold löser, struck under Duke Christian the Elder of Brunswick, galloped past expectations at a Berlin auction, realizing an impressive 200,000 euros.
Künker commenced the World Money Fair on January 29 with its auction event, “Auction 418.” Through 705 lots, the German auction house earned roughly 15 million euros during the sale, which was five million euros above the auction estimate.
The auction featured numismatic rarities from throughout the world, particularly excellent heavy gold multiples. The 96 lots featuring the collection of a German manufacturer and history enthusiast featured coins from the Thirty Years’ War and Peace of Westphalia and earned six-digit winning bids that equaled 5.8 million euros.
Other well-earning collections included Renaissance medals with biblical themes made from the Ore Mountains in Germany and Prussian-made medals. The latter included a highly rare 1871 gold piece that weighs about 120 ducats. It sold well over its estimated price of 75,000 euros at 125,000 euros.
The highest-earning coin was a particularly rare, extremely fine Polish 10 ducats from 1629 that garnered a 340,000 euro winning bid. Holding a beautiful luster despite its centuries-old age, the coin was minted in Bromberg, modern-day Bydgoszcz, Poland. It was issued sometime during the last year of the Polish-Swedish War when claimant to the Swedish royal throne Sigismund III conquered Bromberg. A laurel wreath is presented on the coin’s design around the crowned monogram of Sigismund III.
Another high-earning winner was probably a unique, extremely fine 20 ducats gold löser that realized 200,000 euros. Created by the Administrator of Minden and Duke of Brunswick Christian the Elder, the coin was minted in Winsen (Luhe) in 1619. The 69.87 grams coin depicts an armored duke riding a warhorse and holding a baton. A circumscription on the coin translates to “Justice” and “Concord.”
Fans of German medals and art history alike were wowed by a 1521 silver medal portraying a portrait of Charles V, inspired by a draft by Albrecht Dürer. Made by Hans Krafft for the city of Nuremberg, this extremely rare, extremely fine-struck original is only one of 13, and it sold for 250,000 euros.
For more information about these objects and Künker’s “Auction 418, visit the website.
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