Preview of our eLive Premium Auctions 398 and 399
04. November 2023
For one more time this year, we offer an opportunity to acquire high-quality and rare coins and medals from all over the world. In eLive Premium Auction 398, collectors once again have the chance to bid for coins with “multiple portraits” from the Westphalian private collection, a part of which already went under the hammer in the Fall Auction Sales. Künker’s eLive Premium Auction 399 is dedicated to the Alois Wenninger Library. The well-known Munich coin dealer assembled an outstanding working library, especially regarding ancient coinage.
Auction 398 – World Issues and the Habsburg Empire
Almost 400 lots with world coins and medals including a large series of issues from the Habsburg hereditary lands will kick off the eLive Premium Auction 398, starting on Friday, 17 November 2023 at 10:00 a.m. CET at www.elive-auction.de.
It is worth taking a close look at the offer as it includes numerous interesting pieces. The price range goes from 50 euros, for example for a Saxon half reichstaler of 1592, up to 20,000 euros for an 1839 quadruple ducat from Sweden.
Auction 398 – German States and Germany after 1871
Of course, as is typical of Künker, the focal point is on the German states and Germany after 1871. At this point, we want to draw attention to a small series of Bavarian coins focusing on the rulers Maximilian III Joseph, Charles Theodore, Maximilian (I) IV Joseph and Ludwig I. Particularly impressive is a perfectly preserved threefold ducat of 1792 commemorating the vicariate of Max III Joseph. But also the various lines of Brandenburg, Hesse and Saxony have plenty of representatives in this sale.
This is followed by an attractive offer of coins from the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and the FRG.
Due to the speculations of the Hunt brothers, the silver price per ounce jumped from $6.08 on 1 January 1979 to $49.45 on 18 January 1980. This meant that the silver commemorative coins for the 100th birthday of Otto Hahn, which had already been produced, turned into a loss-making deal. The Ministry of Finance called it quits and had the coins be melted down again. Then the coins were issued as base metal versions. A few pieces of the silver issue seem to have survived. As the national center for analysis for Germany’s central bank announced, the coins were “officially put into circulation via the diplomatic corps”.
Auction 399
This is already the second time for a library of the outstanding coin dealer Alois Wenninger to be on sale. He sold his first library at the end of his career. It is hard to believe that he assembled this impressive specialist library, which will be on sale at Künker’s eLive Premium Auction 399, in a single decade.
Alois Wenninger is an internationally renowned specialist for ancient coinage. As the long-term leader of the numismatic department of the Aufhäuser bank, he made a name for himself with his discoveries in research history. At the Aufhäuser bank, coins of Themistocles from cities ceded to him by the Persian ruler were first offered with accurate descriptions. Moreover, in the spring of 1991, Wenninger discovered a coin from the Roman Emperor Proculus, whose existence had been doubted previously, when offering a collection for sale. Today, the State Coin Collection in Munich is the proud owner of the piece.
In 2011, the Hauck & Aufhäuser bank spun off its numismatic department due to a strategic repositioning, but the department continues to operate to this date in its former premises as the newly founded and independent company Künker Numismatik AG. Alois Wenninger retired, but he did not abandon his passion for numismatics. His newly assembled specialist library testifies to his commitment.
It mainly contains all major works on ancient numismatics, but those interested in modern times and / or medals will also discover fascinating literature. Particularly attractive are the series of festschriften and magazines.