Switzerland 1881-B 1/2 franc
This specimen was lot 7330 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2017), where it sold for $329. The catalog description[1] noted, "SWITZERLAND. 1/2 Franc, 1881-B. NGC MS-64. Light attractive grey tone. From the Michael Druck Collection." This type was struck at the Bern mint starting in 1874 and the design is still in use today tho the coin is now nickel. This specimen is struck to the standard of the French fifty centimes of 1866-1920. Many of the dates from the twentieth century are very common but this one is expensive in nice condition. Prior to confederation in 1850, each Swiss canton issued its own coins.
Recorded mintage: 1,000,000.
Specification: 2.5 g, 0.835 fine silver, .067 troy oz ASW, 18.2 mm diameter, reeded edge.
Catalog reference:KM-23.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, The January 2017 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Richard Stuart Collection, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2016.
Link to:
- 1878 ½ franc
- 1881 5 francs
- 1882 ½ franc
- Coins and currency dated 1881
- return to coins of Switzerland