One of the peculiarities of being interested in many areas of numismatics is that when interest wanes in one area, it usually increases in another: so it is also with me. For the last half year or so I have laid my contemporary coins aside, and have since been mostly 'all roman', but also celtic, and lately also medieval. This is a small grouping of late medieval gold ducats, or goldgulden as they are properly called for issues struck in the german speaking areas of Europe. The first one is a Goldgulden struck by the Free City of Nürnberg. Unlike may of the goldgulden of this era, Nürnberg struck a series of coins bearing dates. NÜRNBERG as FREE Imperial City under Maximilian I., 1493-1519 Goldgulden dated 1507. St Laurentius standing Friedberg 18. Werner von Falkenstein 1388-1418 Goldgulden with no date, struck 1410/14 in Oberwesel. Obv: John the Baptist Johannes des Täufers Rev: The Symbols of the cities of Minzenberg and Mainz. Friedberg 3424.
@Eduard Wow, those are superb! I have also been looking into this area lately as there are many beautiful coins.
Issue struck by the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Franken: Brandenburg-Franken (Markgrafschaft). Under Albrecht Achilles. 1464-1486. Goldgulden. Schwabach mint; mm: dog’s head. Struck 1470-1486. Obv: St. John standing facing, head lowered right, holding Gospel book surmounted by agnus Dei standing left Rev: Cross fleurée in saltire, with coat-of-arms in each angle and at center. Friedberg 304.
Issue struck by the Archbishopric of Mainz: MAINZ ERZBISTUM Johann II. von Nassau, 1397-1419. Goldgulden no date. Struck in Bingen 1414-1417 Obv: St Johannes standing, cross at his feet. IOHIS AR EP MAGVNT Rev: Symbols of Mainz and Bingen. Friedberg 1616.
Your gold is beautiful! I like Ducats... approx 0.14g gold, but struck / size like 0.25g gold in size
Some great coins you got there! Interesting, by the way, that the name of the first city is spelled "Münzenberg" these days, which would be a mountain (Berg) of coins (Münzen). Scrooge McDuck would love it. However, the first part is derived from or refers to the mint plant (Minze) which can also be found in the city's CoA ... Christian
That is an excellent group, @Eduard! Feel free to send them on to me for a good home if your interest in nice gold coins wanes.
If I were a conspiracy guy, I'd say this is what happens when you "find" a huge bullion gold coin and meet an engraver with access to an old Denver coin press.... :-D Beautiful gold ducats, keepers for sure. Are you going to submit them?
Just got home from work... Eduard, those coins are beautifull! I also love the early dated goldgulden! Here are two of mine... AV Goldgulden ND 1373 Bingen Mint/ Erzbistum of Mainz/ Sedevakanz AV Goldgulden 1497 Frankfurt Mint/ Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg/ Imperial City of Frankfurt
Thank you all for your comments. And Panzerman, those examples are just superb! I forgot to add before, please post any of your medieval coinage you may like/feel like!
Thanks Eduard! Here is a neat Italian states one... AV Ducato ND Milan Mint Filippo Maria Visconti Duke of Milan 1414-37 obv. Arms of Visconti Family rev. Duke Riding Horse in full armour PS: Steve should like this : Dragon + Horse John