Bern (1750) 4 ducats Fr-157
This specimen was lot 4122 in SINCONA Auction 98 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 14,000 CHF (about US$20,307 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Bern, Stadt und Kanton, 4 Dukaten o. J. (um 1750), Bern. Gekrönte Wappenkartusche in einem Kranz. Rv. Mann und Frau neben Altar. Oben Lorbeerkranz unter strahlender Sonne. Äusserst selten. Vorzüglich. Stellenweise überarbeitet und aus Fassung. (Switzerland, city and canton of Bern, Bern mint. Extremely rare, Extremely Fine, Partially tooled, mount removed.)"
The climbing bear is the badge of Bern, Switzerland. This type, like all Bernese gold coins of the eighteenth century, is rare and expensive. The SCWC lists the varieties KM 105.1 (motto in cartouche, dot after 4), KM 105.2 (motto in cartouche, no dot after 4), KM 106 (rotated 4), KM 109.1 (man and woman over altar, no value) and KM 109.2 (man and woman over altar, 4 in exergue). Five ducats and six ducats were also struck using this design.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 13.83 g.
Catalog reference: KM 109.1, Lohner -. D.T. 469b, HMZ 2-208a, Fr-157.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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.
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