Ferdinand II gold 10 Ducat 1635 MS62 NGC, Prague mint, KM319, Fr-38, Dietiker-763. 34.71gm. An immense golden rarity, struck in the midst of the Thirty Years War subsequent to the crushing of the Bohemian revolt by the Catholic forces of Ferdinand II. The power struggle which had occurred in the previous decade was rooted in both political and religious considerations, with Frederick V, the Elector Palatine, accepting the Bohemian crown in open defiance of imperial authority. Frederick was ill-prepared for the task, and his forces would be swiftly defeated at the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. Though the war would continue on and increasingly draw in more European powers, including Denmark, Sweden, France, and Spain, imperial control was quickly reasserted in Bohemia following the imperial victory, with many participants publicly executed and a large redistribution of land occurring in favor of loyal Catholics and noblemen. The offering at hand, with its bold depiction of Ferdinand as emperor, armored and holding orb and scepter in hand, would have left little doubt in the minds of contemporary beholders as to who remained the uncontested power in Bohemia. The war would drag on for another 13 years beyond the striking of this piece, causing widespread devastation throughout central Europe that remains essentially unapparelled in modern and early modern European history, with constant shortages of money causing frequent seizures, remelting, and debasement. It is therefore in some ways a true marvel that such a coin should survive to the present, and there remains no doubt as to its exceptional quality. Each minute detail retains its full, as-struck definition, with even the legends consistently sharp, save for the smallest hint of virtually insignificant weakness in the "R" at the lower obverse, the surfaces shimmering with resplendent brilliance and devoid of any instances of heavier handling which might otherwise have detracted from the commendable visual allure. Very rare as a type, and exceptionally so in this condition. We are not aware of any other example preserved to this laudable quality and can only anticipate the level of excitement and bidder interest it will be met with.

HID09801242017

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