Bern 1793 duplone Fr-187a
This specimen was lot 4139 in SINCONA Auction 98 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 8,000 CHF (about US$11,604 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Bern, Stadt und Kanton, Duplone 1793, Bern. Ovales, gekröntes Wappen (ohne die heraldisch korrekte Schattierung). Rv. Stehender Krieger mit Rutenbündel und Hellebarde. Im Abschnitt die Jahreszahl. Laubrand. Äusserst selten. Fast vorzüglich. Druckstellen am Rand. (Switzerland, city and canton of Bern, duplone of 1793, Bern mint. Obverse: crowned oval arms without the heraldically correct shading; reverse: standing warrior with fasces and halberd, date in exergue. Herringbone edge, Extremely rare, About Extremely Fine, Pressure marks on the rim.)"
This scarce denomination was struck in three types in 1793: KM 142: spade arms/standing knight, date under knight; KM A143: oval arms/standing knight (shown here); and KM 143: oval arms/wreath. It is accompanied by a double duplone (Fr-181). A duplone was worth about two ducats.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 7.64 g, 0.900 fine gold, this specimen 7.61 g.
Catalog reference: KM A143, D.T. -. Richter (Proben) 1-227 (LP), HMZ 2-213d, Fr-187a (very rare).
- 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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