Three important special collections in Künker’s summer auctions, part three — German coins after 1871

Four catalogues present the material of the Künker summer auctions from June 18-21, 2018. Among others, the auction will entail the Genaert collection with coins from the Spanish Netherlands, the Popken collection with coins from the House of Welf, and the Gunther Wiegrebe collection with coins and medals from Lippe. In the previous article, we covered German coins before 1871. In this one, we will be discussing German coinage after 1871.

As with every other year, Künker will present its summer auctions before the summer break. This time, there are four catalogues with 4,577 lots estimated at 5.7 million euros. Three special collections will be sold. The first lots of auction 307 stem from the Genaert collection, featuring coins from the Spanish Netherlands. Auction 308 will entail coins and medals of the House of Welf from the Friedrich Popken collection. The next auction, 309, offers the Gunther Wiegrebe collection with coins from Lippe. Collectors will also find a great variety of coins and medals from the German States, Germany after 1871, and world coins. Catalogue 310 offers a large series of modern Chinese coins and Russian coins as well as world gold coins and medals.

Auction 309: The Gunther Wiegrebe Collection: Coins and Medals from the Counts and Princes of Lippe / German Coins from 1871

Gunther Wiegrebe came from Barntrup, a city with 9,000 inhabitants in the district of Lippe. The district arose from the former principality and it still has a special administrative position to this day. The people of Lippe are said to have a great sense of tradition. Therefore it is not surprising that Gunther Wiegrebe decided to continue his father’s coin collection with coins from Lippe. The small collection turned into a big one. It will be auctioned at Künker’s on June 20, 2018.

The largest part of the collection consists of coins and medals from the count or the prince of Lippe. The temporal spectrum reaches from the medieval coins of Hermann II (1197-1229) to the end of World War I. Everyone is welcome to bid. Estimates begin as low as 50 euros.

Great rarities will certainly call for larger sums. One very rare, Very Fine 2/3 taler dated 1683, for instance, is estimated at 5,000 euros, just like a very rare ducat from Detmold 1711 in Extremely Fine. It was minted by Friedrich Adolf (1697-1718), who also minted the two most expensive lots of the collection, an octagonal 1 and 1/4 reichtalerklippe from 1715 in Extremely Fine and a reichstaler from 1716 with a marvellous portrait, also Extremely Fine. Both coins are estimated at 6,000 euros.

German Coins Since 1871

An extensive part of the Wiegrebe Collection is devoted to the German states and coins from the German Empire. With that, we have already arrived at the second part of the catalogue, which features German coins minted after the founding of the German Empire in 1871. Be it silver or gold, there are numerous rarities in splendid condition, like a Bavarian golden wedding from 1918 (estimate: 30,000 euros) and Frederick the Wise (50,000 euros).

No. 4160: Lippe. Simon Heinrich, 1666-1697. 24 mariengroschen (2/3 taler) 1683 (struck in 1683/84), Detmold. Very rare. Very Fine.

Estimate: 5,000 euros.

No. 4218: Lippe. Friedrich Adolf, 1697-1718. Octogonal klippe in the weight of 1 and 1/4 reichstaler 1715, Detmold. Very rare. Extremely Fine.

Estimate: 6,000 euros.

No. 4227: Lippe. Friedrich Adolf, 1697-1718. Reichstaler 1716, Detmold. Extremely rare. Extremely Fine.

Estimate: 6,000 euros.

No. 5064: German Empire. Bavaria. Ludwig III, 1913-1918. Three-mark 1918. On the golden wedding of the Bavarian royal couple. Very rare. Extremely Fine to FDC.

Estimate: 30,000 euros.

No. 5240: German Empire. Saxony. Friedrich August III, 1904-1918. Three-mark 1917. Friedrich der Weise. Rarest silver coin of the German Empire. Extremely Fine to FDC.

Estimate: 50,000 euros.

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