SINCONA Auction 25
Numismatic Rarities
Bid
| Starting price | 7,500 CHF |
| Result |
This lot is not available for purchase anymore.
Description
3 Ducats 1624. (piéce honorifique). Title Ferdinand II. Dies by Claude Poux. FERDINAND-II-D-G-RO- IMP-S-A- ETC- - -1624- Draped, armoured bust, laureate, with lion's head shoulder and ruffled collar to r. Rev. Double eagle within round medallion, city arms on breast. Above, a large crown that begins and terminates a circle of shields of arms. To the sides in small letters: VESO - NTIO (the Latin name for Besançon). 10.21 g. Carvalho, Clairand & Kind. L'atelier monétaire municipal de Besançon (1534-1676). p. 167. Fr. -. Of highest rarity. Very fine to extremely fine. Small graffiti IS on rev.
Details
The known pieces of this type are a singular case in the production of the Besançon mint. As coin-like objects these pieces were original distributed among the 14 governors for their important functions in relation to the city mint. The costs were carried by the municipality. Originally they were minted in silver and starting in 1641 in practically pure gold (23.5 carats). They were distributed annually in May or June; in any case always before the city council elections. The last pieces were minted in 1676.
Our piece, however, is dated 1624. That means that it cannot be placed to the coin-like mintings that are mentioned above. The assumption remains, that it was a so called donation coin that was minted for a special occasion. Regretfully the archives of the mint for these years are missing. But it is clear that this piece, of which there solely only one other specimen in the Vienna Coin Cabinet exists, was the model on which the issues of 1641 and later are based.