KUENKER AUCTION SALE 422

Künker's Spring Auction Sales: Netherlands, Württemberg, Anhalt and Much More

Every coin enthusiast knows that Künker holds its Spring Auction Sales in mid-March. The coins can be viewed not only at the headquarters in Osnabrück, but also in Munich – before and during the Numismata. More information can be found on the Künker website and in the catalog.

There will be plenty to see, as four heavy-weight auctions will take place over the five days. A separate preview is dedicated to ancient coins, which will kick off the auction week on Monday, 17 March. This preview exclusively presents the three auctions with coins and medals from medieval and modern times.

On Tuesday, 18 March 2025, auction 420 will offer the third part of the Lodewijk S. Beuth Collection with Dutch issues. Auction 421 follows on 19 March 2025 with the second part of the Heinz-Falk Gaiser Collection with Württemberg coins. The week will be rounded off by auction 422 with world coins and medals. It includes the Dr. Kurt Sonnenberg Collection of coins from the various lines of the House of Anhalt.

Catalog 422: Dr. Kurt Sonnenberg Collection – Coins and Medals from the House of Anhalt

Actually the House of Anhalt is a branch of the old Saxon noble family of the Ascanians, of which only one branch has survived since the end of the 17th century. They are a wonderful example of the fact that primogeniture, i.e. the right of succession to the territory as a whole belonging to the firstborn son, was the exception rather than the rule in Germany. As a result, once powerful territories were divided into smaller and smaller entities that were unable to compete with the likes of Prussia, Bavaria or the Electorate of Saxony. This is an advantage for collectors: all these small territories produced a diverse and varied coinage, as the example of the House of Anhalt perfectly illustrates.

In addition to the Principality of Anhalt, the collection contains coins from

• Anhalt-Zerbst
• Anhalt-Köthen
• Anhalt-Köthen-Plötzkau
• Anhalt-Bernburg
• Anhalt-Harzgerode
• Anhalt-Schaumburg
• Anhalt-Dessau

A total of 133 lots – including seven carefully arranged multiple lots with more coins from Anhalt – are waiting to be added to a new collection.

No. 3337: Anhalt, Principality. John George I, Christian I, Augustus, Rudolf and Louis 1603-1618. 1614 reichstaler. From the Sonnenberg Collection. From Künker auction 394 (2023), No. 4864. Very rare. Very fine to extremely fine. Estimate: 6,000 euros

No. 3351: Anhalt-Zerbst. Carl Wilhelm, 1667-1718. 1680 reichstaler commemorating the death of his mother Sophia Augusta of Schleswig-Holstein. From the Sonnenberg Collection. Rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 4,000 euros

No. 3374: Anhalt-Köthen. Lebrecht and Emanuel, 1665-1669. 1709 medal by Chr. Wermuth for the heirs of his mother Gisela Agnes. From the Sonnenberg Collection. From Künker auction 263 (2015), No. 565. Extremely rare. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: 4,000 euros

No. 3389: Anhalt-Köthen-Plötzkau. Augustus, 1603-1653. 2 gold guldens, 1620, Plötzkau. From the Sonnenberg Collection. Extremely rare. Very fine. Estimate: 4,000 euros

No. 3390: Anhalt-Bernburg. Christian I, 1603-1630. 1621 silver medal in the shape of a klippe. From the Sonnenberg Collection. From Künker auction 6 (1987), No. 251. Extremely rare. Very fine +. Estimate: 6,000 euros

No. 3436: Anhalt-Harzgerode. Wilhelm, 1670-1709. 1693 silver medal by Eichler commemorating the resumption of mining in Harzgerode. From the Sonnenberg Collection. From Sincona auction 47 (2018), No. 1278. Very rare. About FDC. Estimate: 3,000 euros

No. 3442: Anhalt-Schaumburg. Carl Ludwig, 1772-1806. 1774 konventionstaler, Frankfurt. From the Sonnenberg Collection. From Dresdner Münzauktion auction 120 (2019), No. 319. Extremely fine. Estimate: 1,000 euros

No. 3445: Anhalt-Dessau. John Casimir, 1619-1660. 1660 reichstaler, Berlin, commemorating his death. From the Sonnenberg Collection. From Tempelhofer Münzenhaus auction 167 (2023), No. 176. Very rare. Extremely fine +. Estimate: 4,000 euros

Coins of the German Empire

As every year, Künker's 2025 Spring Auction Sales will present an extensive series of fascinating coins from the German Empire, including the absolute highlights of imperial coinage: Frederick the Wise, the Bavarian Wedding as well as gold and silver coins from many smaller territories.

No. 3832: German Empire / Bavaria. Ludwig III. 3 marks, 1918. Very rare. About FDC. Estimate: 30,000 euros

No. 3876: German Empire / Saxony. Frederick Augustus III. 3 marks, 1917. The rarest silver coin of the Empire. Splendid patina. Proof, minimally touched. Estimate: 100,000 euros

No. 4036: German Empire / Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Ernest II. 20 marks, 1872. The rarest gold coin of the Empire. Very fine. Estimate: 30,000 euros

Numismatic Rarities from All Over the World

Last but not least, Künker's catalog 422 contains a spectacular mix of world coins and medals from medieval times to the present day. As always, the focal point is on Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, but collectors with other interests should also make sure to take a look and see what rarities from their field are on offer at Künker's.

We will mention four pieces to illustrate the offer:

• From Lithuania there is a ten-fold ducat by Vasa Sigismund III, who also ruled Lithuania as King of Poland. The multiple was minted in 1621 in Vilnius and is the only specimen from this year on the market.
• A magnificent gold medal with an impressive sailing vessel was created by the engraver Christoph Adolphzoon to commemorate the Treaty of Breda, concluded between the Netherlands and Great Britain on 31 July 1667.
• Mozaffar ad-Din Shah was the fifth Qajar to rule Persia. Politically rather unsuccessful, the ruler became an early media star when he fell in love with the new technology of cinematography at the Paris World's Fair. His court photographer was commissioned to purchase the necessary equipment to familiarize himself with the art. Mozaffar's interest provides us with a wealth of highly interesting insights into Persia at the turn of the century.
• Finally, there is a 10-fold ducat by Emperor Leopold I from 1675, minted in Kremnica, with the face value of 10 engraved in the field on the obverse.

No. 2504: Lithuania Sigismund III, 1587-1632. 10 ducats 1621, Vilnius. The only example of this year on the market. PCGS AU50. About extremely fine. Estimate: 200,000 euros

No. 2564: England. James I, 1603-1625. Rose Ryal n.d. (1606/7), London. Very rare. About extremely fine. Estimate: 10,000 euros

No. 2613: Italy. Victor Emmanuel III, 1900-1946. 100 lire 1905 R. Only 1,012 specimens minted. NGC MS60. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: 10,000 euros

No. 2619: Netherlands. Breda. Gold medal by Christian Adolphzoon commemorating the Treaty of Breda on 31 July 1667. Probably the only specimen in private hands. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: 50,000 euros

No. 2672: Russia. Alexander II, 1855-1881. Gold award medal of the state authority for horse breeding. Extremely rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 20,000 euros

No. 2729: Persia. Mozaffar ad-Din Shah, 1896-1907. 10 tomans, 1896, Tehran. Extremely rare. NGC AU DETAILS Spot Removed. Extremely fine. Estimate: 25,000 euros

No. 2762: HRE. Leopold I, 1657-1705. 10 ducats, 1675, Kremnica. Very rare. About extremely fine. Estimate: 75,000 euros

No. 2806: Salzburg. Sigismund von Volkersdorf, 1452-1461. Gold gulden n.d., Salzburg. 2nd known specimen. Extremely fine. Estimate: 60,000 euros

No. 2947: Nuremberg. 5 ducats, 1698, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Peace of Westphalia. NGC MS62. Very rare. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: 50,000 euros

No. 3008: Ulm. Siege coins. Klippe of 6 gold guldens, 1704. Purchased from Adolph E. Cahn, Frankfurt / Main, before 1934. Extremely rare. Very fine +. Estimate: 40,000 euros

No. 3504: Prussia. Frederick II, 1740-1786. Piastre n. d. (minted between December 1751 and February 1752), Aurich. Trade coin. Rare. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: 10,000 euros

No. 3703: Saxony. Johann George II (1656-1680). 1.5-fold representative taler, 1658, commemorating the laying of the foundation stone of the Lutheran church in Hanau. Very rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 15,000 euros

To order a 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.

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