Basel 1661 batzen
This specimen was lot 4060 in SINCONA Auction 98 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 750 CHF (about US$1,088 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Bistum Basel, Johann Konrad I. von Roggenbach, 1656-1693. Batzen 1661, Pruntrut. Vorderseitenumschrift endet auf BASIL : 1661. Sehr selten. Schön-sehr schön. Der Batzen 1661 ist wohl einer der seltensten Jahrgänge dieser Prägezeit. Er fehlte in den Sammlungen Froidevaux, Zuberbühler und Kunzmann. (Switzerland, bishopric of Basel, John Conrad of Roggenbach, 1656-93, batzen of 1661. Pruntrut mint. Obverse inscription ends with BASIL : 1661. Very rare, Fine-Very Fine. The 1661 Batzen is arguably one of the rarest dates of this period. It was missing from the Froidevaux, Zuberbühler, and Kunzmann collections.)"
The bishop of Basel was driven from his seat when Basel turned Protestant during the Reformation. He resided in Pruntrut and issued coins from there. This type was struck 1655-63. The SCWC does not award this date a premium.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.26 g, billon, 22 mm diameter, this specimen 0.94 g.
Catalog reference: KM 21, Michaud see 158/159. D.T. 1307f, HMZ 2-137f.
- 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.
- [1]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 98: The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 3 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
Link to: