Unterwalden 1812 1/2 batzen
This specimen was lot 3406 in Sincona sale 91 (Zürich, May 2024), where it sold for 600 CHF (about US$795 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ Obwalden, Halbbatzen 1812, Solothurn. Sehr selten in dieser Erhaltung. Fast FDC. (Switzerland, canton of Obwalden, half batzen of 1812, Solothurn mint. Very rare in this condition, About uncirculated.)"
After being temporarily unified under Napoleon's Helvetic Republic, the cantons went their separate ways after the Congress of Vienna and issued a torrent of low value coins. Not until 1850 would a unified confederation mint her own coins and terminate the local issues. This one year type is rather scarce. Unterwalden, being half Catholic and half Protestant, was divided into half cantons, Nidwalden and Obwalden.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: billon, this specimen 1.89 g.
Catalog reference: KM 51, D.T. 91, HMZ 2-744a.
- 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, 1801-1900, 9th 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]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 91, The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 1 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2024.
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