1479 (struck 1511) AR Guldiner (Hall, Tyrol)

The wedding of the Habsburg Archduke Maximilian - later Emperor and remembered as "the last knight" - to Mary of Burgundy took place in Ghent in 1479. Mary was the daughter of Charles the Bold and heiress to the Duchy of Burgundy, one of the richest land complexes in Europe, encompassing Burgundy proper in northern and western France as well as Lorraine, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

The Guldiner itself was minted decades later, in 1511, at Hall in Tyrol, and was created by the die cutter Ulrich Ursentaler of Hall. It depicts Maximilian at the age of 19 and Mary at the age of 20. Maximilian had a deep preference for large commemorative coins bearing his image, and personally influenced their design.

Mary spoke both national languages of Burgundy - Flemish and French - perfectly, and also learned Latin, with religious and history lessons rounding out her education. Music was her favorite subject. She was considered one of the most beautiful women of her time, and Maximilian loved her dearly. He once wrote about her to a friend: "I have a beautiful, pious, and virtuous wife, and I thank God for that. She is snow-white, with brown hair, a small nose, a small head and face, eyes mixed brown and gray, beautiful and pure... her mouth pure and red. A much more beautiful virgin than I have ever seen, and joyful."

This Guldiner is pedigreed to Gaettens Auction 2, Lot 155, held in 1954 - a 70-year provenance trail back to one of the landmark mid-century European numismatic sales.