Neuchatel 1603 2 pistoles Fr-335
This specimen was lot 3369 in Sincona sale 91 (Zürich, May 2024), where it sold for 75,000 CHF (about US$100,658 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Neuenburg/Neuchâtel, Fürsten von Neuchâtel, Heinrich II. von Orléans-Longueville, 1595-1663. Doppelte Pistole 1603, Neuchâtel. Portrait des jugendlichen Herzogs nach links. H + DVX + LONGÆVILLÆ + C + S + NEOCOMENSIS [Lilie]. Rv. Gekröntes, vierfeldiges Wappen, eingefasst von der Jahreszahl 16 - 03. OCVLI + DOMINI + SVPER + IVSTOS. Von grösster Seltenheit. Nur 2 Exemplare bekannt. Gutes sehr schön. Der minderjährige Heinrich II. stand in diesen Jahren noch unter der Vormundschaft seiner Mutter, Katharina Gonzaga. Seine Regierungszeit dauerte von 1595 bis 1663. Exemplar der "Sammlung Schweiz, Teil 4", Auktion LHS Numismatik 94, Oktober 2005, Los 3707. Exemplar der Slg. Iklé, Auktion L. Hamburger, Frankfurt / Main, Mai 1911, Los 524. (Switzerland, principality of Neuchâtel, Henry II of Orléans-Longueville, 1595-1663, double pistole of 1603, Neuchâtel mint. Obverse: youthful bust of the duke left; reverse: crowned and quartered arms divide the date. Of the highest rarity. Only 2 pieces known, Good very fine. During these years, the underage Henry II was still under the regency of his mother, Catherine Gonzaga. His reign lasted from 1595 to 1663.)"
While the principality of Neuchâtel was long associated with the Swiss Confederation, it was under seigneurial rule rather than oligarchic rule as in the other cantons. French aristocrats ruled until Marie de Nemours's death in 1707, then under Prussian rule 1707-1806, then part of Napoleon's empire, then Prussian again 1815-57, whereupon it was merged completely into Switzerland. This type was struck 1603 only. The weight standard is taken from Numista, not the SCWC.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.17 g, 0.900 fine gold, this specimen 13.21 g.
Catalog reference: KM 5.1, Froidevaux V37, D.T. 1633 (plate coin), HMZ 2-682a (plate coin).
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- 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, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 91, The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 1 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2024.
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