Lot 595
German States -- Constance. Taler, 1541. Dav-9160. Kneeling, armored and bearded knight left, holding mace, hand resting on shield. Reverse: Nimbate eagle, wings raised, on orb left, with sword and scepter behind. Finely made, the obverse especially crisp in both strike and engraving quality, with smooth, gentle wear. Lovely old toning, somewhat iridescent and multi-colored. Rare. NGC graded EF-45.
Constance was a free imperial city located at the Swiss-German border. From the sixth century it was a Bishopric, but was one of the first Germanic areas to embrace Protestantism. Therefore, this coin has no mention of a bishop. Seven years later, in 1548, under pressure from the Habsburgs, Constance became a Catholic city again.
Estimated Value $3,000 - 3,500.
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| Realized $4,140 |
