Quedlinburg’s Noble Past Celebrated

Sale: Triton X, Lot: 1036. Estimate $15000.  Closing Date: Monday, 8 January 2007.  Sold For $29000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GERMANY, Quedlinburg (Abtei). Dorothea von Sachsen. Abbess, 1610-1617. AV 8 Ducats (28.73 g, 6h). Heinrich Löhr, mintmaster. Dated 1617. • DOROTHE : D : G • ABBATIS • QVEDELB : DVCIS : SAXO • 16 - 17, ornate coat of arms surmounted by three helmets; H L (mintmaster’s initials) to left / HEINR : AVC • D : G RO • IM • SAX DVX • ABB : QVEDLB : FVNDAT, King Heinrich I standing half left, holding sword in right hand and globus cruciger in left; city view of Quedlinburg behind; dates of his birth and death, NAT - 876 and MOR - 936, across field. Schnee 638; Friedberg 2444. EF, a few minor marks. Very rare.

Ex Renaissance Auctions (6 December 2000), lot 189.

Heinrich I of Saxony (876-936) was the founder of Quedlinburg and is generally considered to be the first king of medieval Germany. His depiction on this coin, which was struck from the dies of the 1617 broad taler (see next lot), provides a link to Quedlinburg’s noble past.