Switzerland 1949-B 5 francs
This specimen was lot 30288 in Heritage sale 3089 (Dallas, TX, January 2021), where it sold for $630. The catalog description[1] noted, "Confederation Specimen 5 Francs 1949-B SP67 PCGS, Bern mint, A pristine representative displaying resounding reflectivity and needle-sharp, lightly frosted details. From the Cape Coral Collection of European Crowns." This type was struck at the Bern mint 1931-69. The design is still in use today tho the coin is now copper-nickel. Many of the dates from the twentieth century are very common but this one is slightly scarce. Prior to confederation in 1850, each Swiss canton issued its own coins.
Recorded mintage: 407,000 plus specimens.
Specification: 15 g, 0.835 fine silver, .402 troy oz ASW, 31.45 mm diameter, lettered edge.
Catalog reference: KM 40, HMZ-2-1200i.
- Divo, Jean-Paul, and Edwin Tobler, Die Münzen der Schweiz, im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, Zürich: Bank Leu & Co AG, 1969.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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