Lot 631
German States -- Nuremberg. 2 Talers, 1627. Dav-A5640; Kel-224; KM-83. 58.10 grams. Winged cherub holding two shields, date in roman numerals below. Reverse: Ferdinand II, shown as an equestrian figure. Generally well detailed, struck on a large flan with some of the denticle rim off flan. Lovely gray toning with considerable original mint luster. Very rare. NGC graded AU-55.
More than just a market town, Nuremberg (along with Augsburg) was a magnet for craftsmen and skilled inventors and became renowned as a center of manufacturing of precision scientific instruments, one of which was the astrolabe. In the early days of transoceanic navigation it was not possible to determine longitude at sea, but it was quite easy to determine latitude. To go to a place of known latitude, the ship was sailed to that latitude and then sailed east or west along the latitude line until the destination was reached. However, mariners, if sufficiently skilled in navigation, could use the astrolabe to determine latitude, longitude and time of day, among other calculations. Thus, using an astrolabe on the European voyages of discovery in the 15th century was of utmost significance. The device would remain important until the invention of the sextant in the 18th century.
Estimated Value $4,000 - 5,000.
Ex Irving Goodman Collection.
|
| |
| Realized $4,830 |
