Sitten 1501 1-1/4 guldiner Dav-A8788
This specimen was lot 2086 in Sincona sale 25 (Zürich, October 2015), where it sold for 26,000 CHF (about US$32,116 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"Matthäus Schiner, 1499-1522 Schwerer Guldiner 1501. In weight of 4 Dicken. So-called Mass Taler. MATEVS · EPS · SEDV PREF ET · CO · VALES as Legend around the arms of Schiner. On the outside circle of shields of arms with 17 small shields. Rev. PRECIBVS : S : THEODOLI : DIMISSA : EST · CVLPA · CAROLI +. The Saint in bishop's habit and with shouldered sword, kneeling before altar with liturgical objects. Behind the altar an angel with scroll, on the other side behind the sword, the Devil with shouldered bell. Date below. Anm. Of great rarity. Very fine-extremely fine."
The bishopric of Sitten (Sion in French) encompassed most of what is now the canton of Valais. The bishops involved themselves in the petty feuds and struggles of the day, going so far as to participate in the battle of Marignano (1515). They successfully resisted the Reformation but were forced to cede their secular power in 1630. Coinage continued into the eighteenth century. Davenport also lists a double guldiner (Dav-8797) and single guldiner (Dav-8788) of this design.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 38.92 g.
Catalog reference: Palézieux 81 (essai in silver), HMZ 2-1020b, Dav-A8788.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1484-1600, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1977.
- 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, Ruedi Kunzmann and Arne Kirsch, Numismatic Rarities, Auction 25, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2015.
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