Basel 1564 guldenthaler
This specimen was lot 2297 in Sincona sale 6 (Zürich, May 2012), where it sold for 7,000 CHF (about US$8,614 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"SCHWEIZ, Sammlung Dr. Charles Froidevaux Basel Stadt Guldentaler 1564. Stadtwappen in Vierpass zwischen der geteilten Jahreszahl. Rv. Nimbierter Doppeladler mit Wertzahl auf der Brust. Sehr selten, besonders in dieser Erhaltung. Attraktive Patina. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. Exemplar aus den Sammlungen Gessner, Iklé, Fatio. Ex Münzen & Medaillen AG, Auktion 79, Lot 792, Basel 1994. (Switzerland, canton of Basel, guldenthaler of 1564. Obverse: city arms divide the date; reverse: nimbate double-headed eagle with denomination on breast. Very rare, especially in this condition, attractive toning, very fine to extremely fine. From the Gessner collection, Münzen & Medaillen AG, Auktion 79, Lot 792, Basel 1994.)"
The guldenthaler was sixty kreuzer which, in the early part of the sixteenth century, was equal to a thaler. In the later part of the sixteenth century, the thaler rose to 72 kreuzer, making the guldenthaler 5/6 of a thaler. Later, in the seventeenth century, the thaler rose to ninety kreuzer, making the gulden (the "thaler" part of the name was dropped) two-thirds of a thaler. This type was struck 1564-88 along with a thirty kreuzer (half guldenthaler).
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 24 g, silver, 38 mm diameter, this specimen is 24,26 g.
Catalog reference: Dav-155, Wint. 203, HMZ 2-60b.
- Davenport, John S., Silver Gulden, 1559-1763, Frankfurt am Main, Numismatischer Verlag P. N. Schulten, 1982.
- 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.
- Winterstein, Christian, Die Taler Von Basel, Basel: Schweizerischer Bankverein Basel, 1983.
- [1]Numismatic Coins, Medals, Banknotes & Books: Auction 6, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2012.
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