Lot 3299

SAXONY KURFURSTENTUM, Guldengroschen (28.76 g), ND (1512), Hall. Friedrich III, the Wise, 1486-1525. Bust of bearded Friedrich right, cuirassed and wearing embroidered cap, with raised shields quartering the inscription; FRID' DVX SAX - ELECT ' IMPER. QVE LOCVM : TEN - E'S. GENERA'; inscription on his breastplate: IHS : MARIA, = "Jesus; Mary." Reverse: Nimbate eagle, with shield on breast bearing arms of Austria and Burgundy; MAXIMILIANVS ROMANORVM REX SEMPER AVGVST. Lustrous bold relief devices on reflective fields.Especially attractive and sympathetic portrait. Fine old toning, extremely rare, almost extremely fine. Friedrich, who was a great proponent of education, founded the University of Wittenberg in 1502 in the city of Wittenberg, where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the church doors. This sparked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. This masterful coin portrait, in bold relief and medallic in appearance, derives from a sculptural likeness fashioned by the famous German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. The coin's dies were cut by Ulrich Ursenthaler of Hall, in Tyrol. Among Cranach's portrait paintings are several of Martin Luther, also residing in Wittenberg and under the Elector's protection. Cranach even performed as go-between in broaching Martin Luther's proposal of marriage to the former nun Katharina von Bora. Cranach and his wife were later witnesses at Luther's and Katharina's wedding, and he would also be godfather to their first son.