Basel (1648) goldgulden Fr-25a
The first specimen was lot 3297 in Künker sale 264 (Osnabrück, June 2015), where it sold for €900 (about US$1,163 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BASEL Stadt. Goldgulden o. J. (nach 1648). GOLD. Attraktives Exemplar mit feiner Goldpatina, leicht justiert, sehr schön-vorzüglich. (city of Basel, undated goldgulden of about 1648. Attractive, nice color, light adjustment marks, very fine to extremely fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 3087 in Sincona sale 70 (Zürich, May 2021), where it sold for 1,900 CHF (about US$2,501 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SWITZERLAND | Basel | Stadt und Kanton. Goldgulden o. J. (um 1700), Basel. Vorzüglich. Feine Patina. (Switzerland, city and canton of Basel, undated goldgulden from about 1700, Basel mint. Extremely fine, Nicely toned.)"
The third specimen was lot 3065 in Sincona sale 91 (Zürich, May 2024), where it sold for 8,500 CHF (about US$11,232 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[3] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Basel, Stadt und Kanton, Goldgulden o. J. (nach 1648), Basel. Ovales Wappen in Kartusche. Rv. Reichsapfel in verziertem Sechspass. Grosse Umschriftbuchstaben. Selten. Fast FDC. (canton of Basel, undated goldgulden, circa 1648, Basel mint. Obverse: oval arms in cartouche; reverse: imperial orb in hexalobe. Large letters. Rare, About uncirculated.)"
The SCWC claims a weight of 7.64 g, which seems off as a goldgulden was usually equal to or lighter than a ducat (3.5 g). The year 1648 marks the date when the Swiss Confederation officially left the Empire per the Treaty of Westphalia.
Recorded mintage: unknown but rare.
Specification: 3.25 g, .937 fine gold; the first specimen 3.22 g, the second specimen 3.34 g, the third specimen 3.19 g.
Catalog reference: KM 99, D./T. 1314; Fr-25a; Winterstein 274; the second specimen Winterstein (Goldgulden) 290, D.T. 732, HMZ 2-95a; the third specimen Winterstein (Goldgulden) 269, D.T. 1313, HMZ 2-74d, Fr-25.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 264, Gold coins | Russian Coins and Medals | German Coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2015
- [2]Jürg Richter, Auction 70, Swiss Coins and Medals and Rarities in Gold, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2021.
- [3]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 91, The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 1 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2024.
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