Christian Ernest died in 1745 and Francis Josias — then an Imperial field marshal actively campaigning in the War of Austrian Succession — ruled the tiny duchy largely in absentia, leaving Saalfeld's administrative and minting affairs to function with considerable autonomy. Joint-reign ducats from this co-rulership are genuinely scarce; the duchy's output was never prolific, and gold issues representing both rulers simultaneously occupy a narrow window in the coinage sequence.
Fr#3006 is the standard Friedberg reference for this type, placing it firmly within the German states gold series.
Christian Ernest died in 1745 and Francis Josias — then an Imperial field marshal actively campaigning in the War of Austrian Succession — ruled the tiny duchy largely in absentia, leaving Saalfeld's administrative and minting affairs to function with considerable autonomy. Joint-reign ducats from this co-rulership are genuinely scarce; the duchy's output was never prolific, and gold issues representing both rulers simultaneously occupy a narrow window in the coinage sequence.
Fr#3006 is the standard Friedberg reference for this type, placing it firmly within the German states gold series.