Geneva 1839 25 centimes

Sincona sale 91, lot 3296

This specimen was lot 3296 in Sincona sale 91 (Zurich, May 2024), where it sold for 2,200 CHF (about US$2,907 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"SCHWEIZ Genf/Genève, Stadt und Kanton, 25 Centimes 1839, Genf. Silberabschlag. Vorder- zu Rückseite gegenständig. Sehr selten. Vorzüglich-FDC. (Switzerland, canton of Geneva, twenty-five centimes of 1839, Geneva mint, struck in silver, rotated reverse. Very rare, Extremely fine-uncirculated.)"

Geneva, one of the cantons of Switzerland, struck coins sporadically throughout the eighteenth century. The coinage was interrupted by Napoleonic occupation but resumed in 1817. In 1839, the coinage was decimalized to 100 centimes = one franc. Prior to that, French denominations such as deniers, sous and pistoles were used. This type was struck in 1839 and 1844. The billon issue is common while the silver issue is scarce. In 1848, Geneva was incorporated into the reformed Swiss Confederation and coinage for the individual cantons ceased.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: silver or billon, this specimen 4.83 g.

Catalog reference: KM 129 (billon), KM 129a (silver), D.T. 282 var, Richter (Proben) 1-462 (this example), HMZ 2-365a, Anm.

Source:

• Divo, Jean-Paul, and Edwin Tobler, Die Münzen der Schweiz, im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, Zurich: 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), Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2024.

Link to:

• Geneva 1839 centime
• 1839 2 centimes
• Geneva 1839 4 centimes
• 1839 10 centimes
• 1844 25 centimes
• Coins and currency dated 1839