Sale: CNG 67, Lot: 1940. Estimate $300.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 22 September 2004.  Sold For $325. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GERMANY, Ulm. Necessity Coinage. 1703-1704. AR Klippe Gulden (14.46 gm). Dated 1704. Imperial double-headed eagle / Winged cherub facing, civic coat-of-arms in cartouche beneath him. KM 34. VF, toned. The 4 in the date appears to have been overstruck using a different numeral punch. ($300)

In 1703-1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession, French forces under the Marquis de Blainville occupied the German city of Ulm. Threatening to sack the city, Blainville demanded a ransom of first 265,000 gulden and then an additional 150,000 gulden. The citizenry of Ulm emptied their coffers of all precious metals to strike the emergency coinage required. Somewhat ironically, in later years an "Ulmer gulden" came to mean any token or gift presented to a guest.