Basel (15)75 guldenthaler
This specimen was lot 5036 in Sincona Auction 102 (Zürich, October 2025), where it sold for 1,000 CHF (about US$1,507 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Basel, Stadt und Kanton, Guldentaler 1575 (über 67?), Basel. Sehr seltene Variante. Fast sehr schön. Es handelt sich um einen Variante, welche bei Winterstein noch nicht bekannt ist. Erkennbar an einem zusätzlichen halbmondförmigen Zeichen bei der Jahreszahl zwischen der 7 und der 5, welche an Reste einer umgravierten 6 erinnern, wobei die 5 höchstwahrscheinlich ebenfalls über eine 7 geschnitten wurde. (Switzerland, canton of Basel, guldenthaler of 1575, Basel mint, 71/67 overdate. Very rare variety, About Very Fine. This is a variant that was previously unknown to Winterstein. It is identifiable by an additional crescent-shaped mark next to the date, between the 7 and the 5, which resembles remnants of an engraved 6, with the 5 most likely also having been engraved over a 7.)"
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 24.52 g.
Catalog reference: Winterstein (Taler) see 308ff, new Variety, HMZ 2-60n.
- Davenport, John S., Silver Gulden, 1559-1763, Frankfurt am Main, Numismatischer Verlag P. N. Schulten, 1982.
- 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, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 102: The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 4 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
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