Switzerland 1863 5 francs
This specimen was lot 4082 in Sincona sale 26 (Zurich, October 2015), where it sold for 320 CHF (about US$395 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"5 Franken 1863. Tir fédéral a La-Chaux-de-Fonds. Fast FDC mit spiegelglänzenden Flächen. Leicht gereinigt. (Switzerland, five francs of 1863, for the shooting festival at La-Chaux-de-Fonds. Choice uncirculated with mirror fields, lightly spotted.)"
This is the fifth in a series of "shooting festival thalers" issued by the confederation of Switzerland, starting with Solothurn (Dav-377, 1855), Bern (Dav-378, 1857), Zurich (Dav-379, 1859), Nidwalden (Dav-380, 1861) and La Chaux-de-Fonds (Dav-381, 1863). The series continues to the present day but at some point they ceased to be legal tender and became strictly medals.
Recorded mintage: 6,000 plus a few specimens.
Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, lettered edge; this specimen 25.03 g.
Catalog reference: Richter 944a, HMZ 2-1343e, KM XS7, Dav-381.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- Divo, Jean-Paul, and Edwin Tobler, Die Münzen der Schweiz, im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, Zurich: 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]Richter, Jürg, Ruedi Kunzmann and Arne Kirsch, Numismatic Coins & Medals, Auction 26, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2015.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
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