Switzerland 1888-B 20 francs
This specimen was lot 30673 in Heritage sale 3040 (Chicago, April 2015), where it sold for $5,757.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Confederation gold 20 Francs 1888-B AU58 PCGS, Bern mint. One of the rarest, collectible dates in this Laureate head series, the present offering displays incredibly lustrous, harvest-gold surfaces that emit an appreciable amount of reflectivity within the fields. Very minimally circulated, the devices are still sharp from an impressive strike, and show only faint wear across the highpoints, while insignificant wisps across the bust and within the open areas are essentially unremarkable and barely visible to the unaided eye. This selection is currently the third finest certified example of this date with only two other coins graded finer, further confirming the scarcity of this item and the rarity of its condition. A truly remarkable specimen, worthy of great attention and a premium bid. From The Law Collection." This Swiss twenty francs conforms to the standard of the Latin Monetary Union, where twenty francs = 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold. Switzerland continued to use this standard even after France, its originator, abandoned it after World War One. This type was struck 1886-96; an earlier issue (KM 31.1) of 1883 had a reeded edge.
Recorded mintage: 100,000 (a rare date).
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, .186 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: KM 31.3, Fr-497.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Divo, Jean-Paul, and Edwin Tobler, Die Münzen der Schweiz, im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, Zürich: Bank Leu & Co AG, 1969.
- 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage Signature Auction 3040, featuring the Santa Maria, the Alan Dean and the Valley View Life Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2015.
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