Unterwalden 1728 assis
This specimen was lot 4337 in SINCONA Auction 98 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 1,300 CHF (about US$1,886 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Obwalden, Assis 1728, Sarnen. Selten in dieser Erhaltung. Vorzüglich-FDC. Stempelbruch beim Wappen. Exemplar der Auktion SINCONA 20, Zürich, Oktober 2014, Los 3446. Dieser Münztyp ist klar ein Beischlag zu den Assismünzen Basels im 17./18. Jahrhundert, welche letztmals 1708 in grossen Mengen geschlagen wurden. In Süddeutschland kursierten diese baslerischen Assis als Plapparte zu 6 Rappen. (Switzerland, half canton of Obwalden, assis of 1728, Sarnen mint. Rare in this condition, About Uncirculated, Die break in the coat of arms. This type is clearly an addition to the Assis coins of Basel in the 17th/18th century, which were last struck in large quantities in 1708. In southern Germany, these Baseler Assis circulated as Plapparts worth 6 Rappen.)"
Unterwalden was one of the three original cantons forming the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Far from the main channels of commerce, her coinage is scanty and rare. Unterwalden was divided into the "half cantons" of Obwalden and Nidwalden. This type was struck 1728 only. One convention thaler was eighty assis, making the assis equal to the schilling used in Zürich.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 1.36 g, billon, 21 mm diameter, this specimen 1.37 g.
Catalog reference: KM 19, Greter (SMK IV) 55. D.T. 621, HMZ 2-738a.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 98: The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 3 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2025.
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