1733 - 1803 / moneyer Georg Christoph Busch
City keys in rococo cartouche, betwixt "R" and "1"6".
Crowned imperial eagle with Austrian shield surrounded by chain of fleece order.
During the 18th century denominations of the ducat (3,49 g normal weight) have been produced mainly for gift purposes. Thus citizens with minor fortunes were also able to make presents of gold to their godchildren. The denomination „1/6“ is extremely rare and probably unknown as a klippe yet.
The weight of 0,71 g (instead of ca. 0,58 g) is decisively too high and noticeable. Stylistic and technical features, however, justify without doubt an attribution of this piece to the late activity of the mint of Regensburg in the custody of moneyer Georg Christoph Busch (1773 - 1803). The deviation from weight is not puzzling considering that these articles have been struck mainly for gift purposes and not as standardized nominals. E. Beckenbauer, author of the standard work dealing with the coins of the imperial city of Regensburg knew only of one piece struck on a round flan. A second item of the same type has been sold twice on auctions in 1977 and again in 2004 with remarkable hammer prices. The die of the klippe brought forward here is probably unknown and cannot be found in Beckenbauer’s book. Thus the piece is demonstrating, that astonishing detections are possible in modern numismatics too.
Offered by the company Solidus Numismatik during online auction 2 in May 2014.