Switzerland 1855 5 francs
This specimen was lot 4585 in Sincona sale 51 (Zürich, October 2018), where it sold for 1,000 CHF (about US$1,206 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"5 Franken 1855. Solothurn. Eidgenössisches Freischiessen. Fast vorzüglich. Minimal berieben. (Swiss confederation, five francs of 1855, Solothurn shooting festival. About extremely fine, Minimally polished.)"
Confederation coinage commenced in 1850; prior to that, each canton struck its own coinage. In 1931, the five francs was reduced to 15 grams, 0.835 fine, and struck in that form until 1969. This coin issued for the shooting festival in Solothurn is on the border between medal and coin and has been in and out of the SCWC. It is the most expensive of the series.
Recorded mintage: 3,000 plus specimens.
Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver; this specimen 24.97 g.
Catalog reference: KM XS3, Dav-377, Richter (Schützenmedaillen) 1117a.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- Divo, Jean-Paul, and Edwin Tobler, Die Münzen der Schweiz, im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, Zürich: Bank Leu & Co AG, 1969.
- 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 51: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals; Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2018.
Link to:
- 1855 rappen
- 1857 5 francs, Bern shooting festival
- Coins and currency dated 1855
- return to coins of Switzerland