Hefty Austrian Gold Medal Certified by NGC Leads Numismatica Genevensis Auction

An exquisite and excessively large gold medal from Salzburg is leading an impressive group of NGC®-certified numismatic rarities stretching back to the dawn of coinage. Bidding is underway for Numismatica Genevensis SA's Auction 26 on November 16-17, 2026.

This auction is putting a spotlight on an Austria 1747 Salzburg Gold Medal - Archbishop Andreas Jakob graded NGC MS 61 (lot 302), which has a starting price of CHF 350,000 (about $437,000). Struck in 1747 to commemorate the appointment of Andreas Jakob von Dietrichstein, this extraordinary presentation piece was created for the archbishop to gift to his relatives. Engraved by the renowned Salzburg artist Franz Matzenkopf, the piece bears the archbishop's personal motto, AMORE ET IUSTITIA ("Love and Justice"), alongside the date of his appointment.

Struck in the weight of 100 Ducats of gold, the piece is 350 grams - so large that it needs to be encapsulated in an NGC Oversize Holder. Its survival is particularly remarkable given that, in 1806, Emperor Francis I of Austria imposed a substantial tax on privately owned gold and silver objects to help finance the wars against Napoleon.

Also offered in this sale is a Bohemia 1633 Prague 10 Ducats graded NGC MS 65 and pedigreed to the Paramount Collection (lot 286), with a starting price of CHF 250,000 (about $312,000). After Ferdinand reasserted Habsburg control over Bohemia following the Protestant defeat at the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, a gold issue projected a clear statement of imperial power. Yet the war would ultimately exact a tremendous financial toll, draining Ferdinand's treasury and forcing Austria into growing dependence on Spanish support as the conflict dragged on.

The NGC-certified Paramount Collection realized a spectacular $48 million in two sales in early 2021. Representing an extraordinary culmination of ambition and acumen, coins pedigreed to the collection include some of the greatest US, world and ancient rarities, such as a 1907 Double Eagle that realized $3.6 million and an Edward VIII Gold 5 Sovereign that realized $2.2 million.

Other NGC-certified coins in this auction include:

• a Roman Imperatorial, Q. Labienus 40-39 B.C. Silver Denarius graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (lot 191), with a starting price of CHF 100,000 (about $125,000)
• a Roman Empire, Caracalla A.D. 198-217 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients AU★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (lot 243), with a starting price of CHF 75,000 (about $94,000)
• a Roman Empire, Probus A.D. 276-282 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients MS★, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (lot 254), with a starting price of CHF 75,000 (about $94,000)
• a Roman Empire, Licinius I A.D. 308-324 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Gem MS★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface (lot 267), with a starting price of CHF 75,000 (about $94,000)
• a Roman Empire, Pertinax A.D. 193 Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients Ch AU★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 235), with a starting price of CHF 60,000 (about $75,000)
• a Kingdom of Macedonia, Alexander III 336-323 BC Gold Distater grated NGC Ancients Ch AU, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 141), with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $62,000)
• a Lydia, Croesus 561-546 BC Gold Stater graded NGC Ancients Ch AU★, 5/5 Strike and 5/5 Surface (lot 165), with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $62,000)
• an Austria 1565 Salzburg 12 Ducats graded NGC AU 55 (lot 299), with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $62,000)

Starting prices are set by the auction house. The $ symbol indicates US Dollars.