Basel (15)71 guldenthaler
This specimen was lot 5034 in Sincona Auction 102 (Zürich, October 2025), where it sold for 325 CHF (about US$490 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Basel, Stadt und Kanton, Guldentaler 1571, Basel. Fast sehr schön. (Switzerland, canton of Basel, guldenthaler of 1571, Basel mint. About Very Fine.)"
The guldenthaler was sixty kreuzer which, in the early part of the sixteenth century, was equal to a thaler. In the later part of the sixteenth century, the thaler rose to 72 kreuzer, making the guldenthaler 5/6 of a thaler. Later, in the seventeenth century, the thaler rose to ninety kreuzer, making the gulden (the "thaler" part of the name was dropped) two-thirds of a thaler. This type was struck 1564-88 along with a thirty kreuzer (half guldenthaler). We don't know why this coin features a two digit date when the half guldenthaler has a four digit date.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 24 g, silver, 38 mm diameter, this specimen 23.96 g.
Catalog reference: Winterstein (Taler) 275, HMZ 2-60j.
- Richter, Jürg, and Ruedi Kunzmann, Neuer HMZ-Katalog, Band 2: Die Münzen der Schweiz und Liechtensteins 15//16. Jahrhundert bis Gegenwart, Regenstauf, Germany: H. Gietl Verlag GmbH, 2006.
- Winterstein, Christian, Die Taler Von Basel, Basel: Schweizerischer Bankverein Basel, 1983.
- [1]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 102: The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 4 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
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