Bern 1781 1/2 kreuzer
This specimen was lot 4133 in SINCONA Auction 98 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 3,500 CHF (about US$5,077 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Bern, Stadt und Kanton, Vierer 1781, Bern. Goldabschlag. Äusserst selten. Fast FDC. (Switzerland, city and canton of Bern, vierer or half batzen of 1781, Bern mint, struck in gold. Extremely rare, About Mint State.)"
The regular half kreuzer was struck intermittently 1762-97 and is common. This is not a pattern but an off-metal strike made for presentation.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.6 g, billon, 15.4 mm diameter, this specimen gold, 0.87 g.
Catalog reference: KM 122 (billon), KM Pn16 (gold), Richter (Proben) 1-224 (plate coin), HMZ 2-226v, Anm.
- 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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