Frankfurter Münzhandlung Presents the Richard B. Smith Collection

Frankfurter Münzhandlung – the German auction house which is a member of the SINCONA Group, Zurich – is pleased to present at the autumn auctions 158 and 159 on 8 November 2024 the exceptional collection of coins of the House of Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover during the years 1714-1837, otherwise known as the Anglo-Hannoverian-House, compiled by the well-known collector Richard B. Smith, who passed away three years ago.

Richard B. Smith

Richard Smith was a Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society and had published extensively over many years but his special interest throughout his life had been the Regal Coinage of the Duchy of Brunswick-Luneburg issued during the Personal Union with Great Britain. In his book “The coinage of the Anglo-Hannoverian Personal Union 1714–1837” he presented a contemporary baseline of knowledge of this series by updating the work of Welter who himself built upon the texts of Knigge, Knyphausen and Fiala. Richard Smith has extended the subject by including all the numismatic material issued in the Duchy during the years 1714–1837 after which the two kingdoms became separated. He published a volume of over 650 pages including the history and the listings of the coins.

This standard work was also based on his collection from this period, which is now being auctioned in Frankfurt. The sheer number of over 1000 coins offered in over 600 lots with almost 100 gold coins and more than 150 thalers, impressively demonstrates the importance of this special catalogue 158. Anyone familiar with Richard Smith’s book will also know that he has listed countless varieties of minor denominations there, which we naturally also find in this auction.

Lot 61

• Lot 61: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. George I, 1714–1727. Ducat 1717, Clausthal. Smith 20. Welter 2218. Fr. 585. Very rare. About extremely fine. Estimation: 7,500 €
• Lot 72: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. George I, 1714–1727. Thaler 1720, Clausthal. Mining Thaler Dorothea. Edge inscription: SPES DOROTHEA NOVAS * NOVA PRAEMIA LARGIUS AFFERT*. Smith 27 Anm. Welter 2229. Müseler 10.6.1/14. Dav. 2081. Very rare. Cabinet piece with beautiful patina. Extremely fine – FDC. Estimation: 4,500 €
• Lot 211: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. George II, 1727–1760. 4 Goldgulden (8 Thaler) 1749, Hannover. Smith 99. Welter 2515. Fr. 609. Very rare. Extremely fine. Estimation: 6,500 €

Lot 241

• Lot 241: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. George II, 1727–1760. Ducat 1755, Zellerfeld. Mining Thaler. Smith 112. Welter 2535. Müseler 10.6.3/45. Fr. 607. Extremely rare. Extremely fine. Estimation: 6,500 €
• Lot 326: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. George II, 1727–1760. 2/3 Thaler 1754, Hannover. Smith 133. Welter 2570. Dav. 432. Very rare. Cabinet piece with beautiful patina. Extremely fine – FDC. Estimation: 1,500 €
• Lot 432: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. George III, 1760–1820. 2 Ducats (Georgs d’or) 1768, Hannover. Smith 213. Welter 2789. Fr. 617. Extremely rare. Extremely fine. Estimation: 6,000 €
• Lot 563: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. Hieronymus Napoleon, 1807–1813. 40 Francs 1813 (struck in Paris 1867). Plain edge. Smith 288. Divo/S. 217 Anm. AKS 27. Fr. 3516. Very rare, only 80 pieces struck. About FDC. Taxe: 7,500 €
• Lot 617: The Richard B. Smith Collection. Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover. William IV. 1830–1837. Ducat 1831, Clausthal. Mining ducat. Smith 345. Welter 3042. Müseler 26/8. Fr. 1169. Very rare. Extremely fine – FDC. Estimation: 6,500 €

Based on the notes made by Richard B. Smith during his lifetime and the pieces in his collection, the revised edition of his 2009 book will be published at the end of this year. The book is entitled ‘The Coinage of the House of Brunswick-Calenberg-Hannover during the period 1714–1837, otherwise known as the Anglo-Hannoverian-House, by Richard B. Smith’. It will have more than 450 colored pages and the text is like the first edition in English. As a special offer, Frankfurter Münzhandlung will send a copy free of charge to all interested parties and bidders of Auction 158 if your request is received before December.

Auction 159

Catalogue 159 – the second part of the auction day – offers more than 550 of Ancient, German and World coins and medals. Highlights include 60 ancient gold coins, rare and well-preserved German thalers from the 16th to the 19th century as well as a series of early Bohemian denarii from the Middle Ages.

Lot 656.

• Lot 656: Sicily, Syracuse. 2nd Republic, 465–405 B.C. Tetradrachm c. 440 B.C., Syracuse. 17.36 g. 27 mm. Boehringer 596, Rizzo plate 38, 2 (same die). Kraay-Hirmer 89 (reverse identical). Rare. Exceptionally broad flan. Extremely fine. Estimation: 10,000 €
• Lot 676: Ptolemaic Kingdom. Arsinoe II. Philadelphos, 277–270 / 268 BC Octodrachm posthumous, c. 180–116 BC, Alexandria. 27.86 g. 27.7 mm. 12 h. Struck under Ptolemy VI Philometor to Ptolemy VIII Euergetes, 180–116 B.C. SNG Copenhagen 321 f. Svoronos 1498 f. Beautiful gold patina. Good very fine. Estimation: 7,500 €
• Lot 683: Rome, Empire. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, called Elagabal, 218–222. Aureus 218–219, Rome. 6.46 g. 20.9 mm. RIC IV.II 154. Calicó 3038a. Cohen 288. BMC 31. Rare in this condition. Fine gold patina. Extremely fine. Estimation: 15,000 €
• Lot 712: Byzantine Empire. Justinus I and Justinianus I, 527. Solidus 4 April–1 August 527, Constantinople, 6th officina. 4.19 g. 19.6 mm. Sear cf. 118 (not this officina). DOC cf. 3 (not this officina). MIB 2c. Extremely rare. About extremely fine. Estimation: 3,000 €

Lot 844.

• • Lot 844: Hatzfeld. Sebastian I of Hatzfeld-Wildenburg-Krottorf, 1569–1630. 1597 Thaler, Nuremberg. Minted in 1666 under Count Hermann, 1658–1677, with the title of Rudolf II. M.-J./V. H 2. Dav. 9249. Very rare. Marvelous patina. Extremely fine. Estimation: 10,000 €
  • Lot 893: Saxony. August, 1553-1586. Thaler 1554, Annaberg. Keilitz/Kahnt 44. Dav. 9788. Rare in this condition. Extremely fine. Estimation: 3,000 €
  • Lot 1162: Bohemia and Moravia.  Boleslav II. 967–999. Denarius Prague. 1.16 g. Cach 96, Smerda 22d. Of great rarity. Splendid specimen with fine lustre. Extremely fine. Estimation: 1,000 €
  • Lot 1184: Bohemia and Moravia. Jaromir, 1003, 1004–1012 and 1033-1034. Denarius Prague. 0.95 g. Cach 273, Smerda 121a. Very rare. Splendid specimen. Extremely fine. Estimation: 1,500 €

  The auction will take place on 8 November 2024 at the Selection Hotel, Frankfurt-City, Eschenheimer Tor 2, 60318 Frankfurt am Main. Lot viewing is possible until 31 October at Bornwiesenweg 34 in Frankfurt am Main and from 4 November at the auction hotel.

  For questions and information regarding conservation as well as for any further piece of advice, please call us on +49 69 9551 8226 or send a mail.