Austria. 5 Ducats, 1661 (Vienna). Fr- 262 (174); Henirek-85. 17.4 grams. Leopold I, 1657-1705. Laureate bust right. Reverse: Crowned double-headed eagle. A premium specimen, technically choice, fully Uncirculated with slightly prooflike fields heavy with luster, the flan broad and deeply impressed, creating a delightful portrait! High-level eye appeal, and extremely rare. NGC graded MS-63. Estimated Value $20,000 - UP
Leopold, second son of and successor to Ferdinand III, ascended to the Imperial throne during one of the most tumultuous periods in the Holy Roman Empire's history. His reign saw incessant warring with a resurgent Ottoman Turkey and a territorially aggressive France, and his era roughly corresponded to the rule of France's Louis XIV, yet he was overshadowed by Louis' charisma and aggression. Austria's wartime need for capital expenditures insured that silver coinages would be among the most prolific of the Hapsburgs. However the larger denomination gold issues remain rare to excessively rare, depending upon the individual issue. This splendid coin epitomizes its times.
Illustrated in Money of The World, coin 96. Ex Millennia, Lot 486
Goldberg's Auction 59, lot 2614
The Peh Family Collection.