A massive 100 ducat gold coin of Ferdinand III, struck in 1629 and weighing 348.5 grams of fine gold, will take centre stage when Numismatica Ars Classica presents the second sale of the Traveller Collection in Zürich on Nov. 6, 2025.
Estimated at 1,250,000 Swiss francs (CHF) (about C$1.9 million) and expected to realize more than CHF 2 million (about C$3 million), the coin could become the most expensive European gold coin ever sold at auction.
The Ferdinand III piece is one of only three known examples and represents the largest denomination of gold coinage produced in historical Europe. At 100 ducats, it was never intended for circulation but rather as a massive presentation piece. A single ducat in the 17th century weighed about 3.5 grams of nearly pure gold and was widely accepted across Europe as a trusted trade coin. By extension, a 100 ducat coin represented not only extraordinary wealth—equal to roughly 350 grams of fine gold—but also a powerful political statement. In modern terms, that weight equals nearly 11 troy ounces of gold, worth close to C$35,000 at today’s bullion prices, though the numismatic rarity makes this piece worth millions. Minted while Ferdinand was Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia, the coin was distributed as a diplomatic gift during the Thirty Years’ War to secure the loyalty of German princes. Its sheer size, historical context and rarity have placed it among the greatest prizes of European numismatics.
Adding to the excitement, the Nov. 6 sale will mark the first time two 100 ducat coins appear in the same auction. Alongside the Ferdinand III issue is a 1621 gold giant of the Polish king Sigismund III. Similar examples of this Sigismund type have set auction records for Polish coinage, and this specimen, estimated at CHF 350,000 (about C$525,000), is expected to climb significantly higher. Together, these two massive pieces underscore the Traveller Collection’s strength in “gold giants”—presentation issues struck in limited numbers and preserved today as testaments to wealth, power and political ambition.
Other rarities extend the Central European narrative. A 10 ducat “Portugalöser” from Hamburg, minted between 1553 and 1566, represents the origin of large gold coins in the region. Inspired by Portuguese minting, which had begun producing oversized coins following new gold inflows from colonial holdings, Hamburg became the first German city to strike such issues. This piece carries an estimate of CHF 75,000 (about C$112,500). Coins tied to major wars and victories also appear, such as a 10 ducat issue from Sibiu linked to the Transylvanian civil war of the early 17th century (CHF 150,000 / about C$225,000), and an 8 ducat medal from Poland commemorating Jan Sobieski’s victory at Chotyn (CHF 75,000 / about C$112,500), a triumph that paved his way to the Polish throne.
The Traveller Collection itself is a story of both passion and preservation. Amassed by an anonymous collector and hidden in Europe for more than 50 years to protect it from looting during the Nazi invasion, it contains over 15,000 coins from around the world. Central European coinage forms the heart of the collection, particularly issues of the Habsburg Empire, Bohemia, Poland, Hungary and Transylvania. Many of the finest pieces came from legendary cabinets dispersed in the early 20th century, including the collections of Waldo Newcomer and Philip Ferrari de La Renotière.
With an overall value exceeding 100 million Swiss francs (CHF) (about C$150 million), the Traveller Collection is the most valuable group of coins ever to come to auction. The first sale, held earlier this year, realized CHF 6.3 million (about C$9.5 million), more than doubling its initial estimate. The upcoming Nov. 6 auction is expected to surpass CHF 5 million (about C$7.5 million) and further establish the Traveller Collection as one of the landmark numismatic events of the century.
For more details, visit arsclassicacoins.com.