KEUNKER 2022 SUMMER AUCTION SALE 369

Catalog 369: The Collection of the Berlin Savings Bank – Brandenburg-Prussia and the German Empire The coins that have been part of the collection of the Berlin savings bank for many decades and now re-enter the market are downright spectacular. The sale serves a good purpose, as Kai Uwe Peter, Managing Director of the Berlin savings banks association, explains: Following the motto ‘Art for Culture', the proceeds will benefit social and cultural institutions in Berlin, to which the Berlin savings bank is deeply committed. They need all the support they can get as the pandemic had particularly devastating effects on Berlin's culture. Here, too, people can rely on the Berlin savings bank. In fact, many collectors will be pleased that the important pieces of the bank's collection will re-enter the market.

The collection of the Berlin savings bank of Brandenburg-Prussian issues consists of two parts. The major part contains – of course – coins from Brandenburg-Prussia, the majority of which are characterized by great rarity and outstanding quality. The focal point is on iconic talers of Prussian history, for example a series of trading coins by Frederick the Great.

Auction house Künker is particularly proud of the fact that this collection contains a coin with which the auction house went down in auction history in 1999, selling the piece in its auction 47 for DM 375,000. Now they are pleased to be able to offer the Portugalöser again, which was issued by John George in 1584 in Berlin and had been the most expensive German coin ever sold at auction at the time.

The second part of the collection is dedicated to German coins minted between 1871 and the introduction to the Euro. Here, too, collectors will find numerous rarities, which were selected with a lot of knowledge and refined taste by the curators of the collection. It becomes obvious that only top quality was considered for the coin collection of the Berlin savings bank.

All these magnificent coins are likely to realize outstanding results given the current market situation and benefit those who are in need of urgent help right now. Ulrich Künker comments: We hope that the funds that will go to Berlin's art and culture scene can help to mitigate the partly disastrous effects of the pandemic.

 

No. 504: Joachim II. Portugalöser of 10 ducats 1570, Berlin. From Hess auction 253 (1983), No. 351 (formerly from the ducal coin cabinet of Gotha). Extremely rare. Traces of mounting, very fine. Estimate: 200,000 euros

 

No. 505: John George. Portugalöser of 10 ducats 1584, Berlin. From Hess auction 253 (1983), No. 353 (formerly from the ducal coin cabinet of Gotha), and Künker 47 (1999), No. 4001. Unique. Extremely fine. Estimate: 250,000 euros

 

No. 511: Frederick William, the Great Elector. Reichstaler 1686, Berlin. Very rare. Extremely fine +. Estimate: 15,000 euros

 

No. 515: Frederick I. Reichstaler 1703, Berlin. Extremely rare. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: 20,000 euros

 

No. 526: Frederick William I, the Soldier King. Reichstaler 1719, Berlin. Extremely rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 20,000 euros

 

No. 532: Frederick II the Great. Prussian reichstaler 1752, Berlin. From the Jungfer Coll., Weyl auction 102 (1889), No. 589 (sold for 253 reichsmarks). Only two specimens on the market. Extremely fine. Estimate: 50,000 euros

 

No. 547: Frederick II the Great. Speciestaler 1755, Berlin, trading coin. Original issue with foliage ornaments. From Schulman auction (Sept. 1920). Extremely rare. Very fine to extremely fine. Estimate: 40,000 euros

 

No. 646: German Empire. Württemberg. Charles. 5 marks 1888. Extremely rare. Proof. Estimate: 5,000 euros

 

No. 708: German Empire. Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Frederick Franz IV. 5 marks 1915 A, with inscription embossed on the edge: (ornament) GOTT (ornament) MIT (ornament) UNS (=God with us). Silver. Very rare. Proof. Estimate: 10,000 euros

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