After achieving 6.8 million euros in its sale held Feb. 4 in conjunction with the World Money Fair in Berlin, Fritz Rudolf Künker will follow up with another auction March 14-18 in Osnabrück.
Minor denomination rarities and patterns from post-1871 Germany constitute one of the highlights of the upcoming Künker Auction. Furthermore, there will be ancient coins, a large selection of medieval coins, coins from Germany, Europe, Russia and overseas.
This spring Künker will be presenting four catalogs. From antiquity to the Federal Republic of Germany, there will be coins and medals from Germany (including a special collection Münster), from Europe (with large sections of Carolingian coins, as well as Danish and British medieval coins), from Russia and overseas. For many the highlight will take place on the last day of auction: when Künker auctions off the Lothar J. Lorenz Collection, a special collection of minor denominations rarities and patters from post-1871 Germany. Not to forget silver and gold, this auction catalog offers all the great rarities of the German Empire in spectacular quality.
Auction 273 features Antiquity with 60 Celtic and 440 Greek coins. Rarieties include a selection of Bavarian rainbow cups or the two tetradrachms from Katane: the first is an archaic piece displaying the river god in disguise as a bull (127, EF, Estimate: 50,000 euros) and the second is a classic piece presenting the portrait of Apollo made by Herakleides (129, EF-VF, Estimate: 50,000 euros).
Among the ancient Greek coins are a dekadrachm from Syracuse, a golden distater of Alexander, and an electron stater from Cyzicus displaying both eagles meeting above the omphalos, after they flew around the globe. The Egyptian department offers a rich selection of gold coins.
Collectors of Roman coins should take a good look at the catalog. There are many Roman Republican pieces. Historically important is an aureus of great rarity issued by Sextus Pompey showing his portrait on the obverse and the portrait of his father and brother on the reverse (566, VF, estimate: 75,000 euros).
The department of the Roman Empire also offers plenty of aurei. Caligula with Augustus, Titus, Domitian with Domitia, Marcus Aurelius, the youthful Caracalla with Septimius Severus and Iulia Domna, Herennia Etruscilla as well as Priscus Attalus. The rarest piece is an aureus of Postumus, which displays his and Hercules’ double portrait. On the reverse it shows the busts of Victoria and Felicitas (901, plugged hole, EF, estimate: 75,000 euros).
There will be strikings of the great migration, of the Byzantine Empire, of the Crusaders and the Near and Far East.
Of interest is Lot 566: SEXTUS POMPEY, + 35 BC. Aureus, 37/36 BC, Sicilian mint. Ex Feuardent Collection, Bourgey Auction (2009), 23. Very rare. Very fine. Estimate: 75,000,- euros.
More Collecting Resources
• The Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 8th Edition is your guide to images, prices and information on the century's coins.
• Come on down to the Chicago International Coin Fair in Rosemont, Ill. on April 14 to 17, 2016 to see impressive world coins, meet new collectors and participate in Heritage Auction’s fantastic coin auction.
