26 Centuries of Gold
1552 HUNGARY
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Coin Details
| Origin/Country: |
HUNGARY - TO 1600 |
| Item Description: |
DUCAT 1552KB FERDINAND I (3.52g) |
| Full Grade: |
NGC MS 62 |
| Owner: |
deposito |
Owner Comments:
Hungary was striking ducats based on the Florentine Florin, starting in the 1300's after the discovery of Kremnitz mines in Hungary. Here we have the king on the obverse, facing us like St. John on the Florentine Florin, but now armored and crowned and holding an axe in one hand. St. Ladislaus is where St. John was.
This coin was struck in 1552, the earliest recognizably dated coin we have. Not long before, in 1534, the first printing of Martin Luther’s translation of the New Testament cost half a gulden for an unbound copy and a gulden for a bound copy.
Purchased in ANACS AU58 holder, Heritage auction description said "likely conservatively graded". I broke it out and sent it to NGC who has graded it MS62. It is the only one in any grade graded at NGC.