2 Ducats - William Ernest Duke William Ernest's Birthday and his Pious Foundations

William Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, was among the more devout Lutheran rulers of his generation — his court at Weimar became something of a theological proving ground, and he enforced strict religious observance on his subjects to a degree that struck even contemporaries as excessive. The 1717 issue coincided with the bicentennial of Luther's posting of the 95 Theses, a jubilee celebrated with unusual intensity across Protestant German states, and William Ernest's personal piety made his participation particularly emphatic.

KoppeSW#468 is a specialized reference, and documented survivors of this two-ducat piece remain scarce in the auction record.