Basel (1670) 1/2 thaler KM-123
This specimen was lot 1786 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €1,025 (about US$1,452 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"EUROPÄISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · SCHWEIZ, BASEL Stadt. 1/2 Taler o. J. (um 1670). Mit veränderter Stadtansicht und ohne Münzzeichen. Herrliche Patina, kl. Schrötlingsfehler am Rand, vorzüglich +. (Switzerland, city of Basel, undated half thaler, circa 1670. With a modified cityscape and without mint mark. Superb patina, minor edge flaws, extremely fine or better.)"
This city view half thaler was struck in several varieties, depending on whether "BASILEA" is in a banner, or whether the cathedral is in the center (as here) or to the left of the view.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.8-14.0 g, silver, 33 mm diameter, this specimen 14,00 g.
Catalog reference: KM 123, HMZ 2-80b, D./T. 1349 Anm.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 425: Gold coins from the Medieval and Modern Times, from the Mohr family collection, e.g. | Silver coins, e.g. highlights of medallic art | German coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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