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1/2 Thaler
| Issuer | City of Basel |
|---|---|
| Year | 1640 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 13.97 g |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by an elaborate interlaced gothic monogram of the letters B and S — the initials of Basilea (Basel) — rendered in high relief with foliate and scrollwork flourishes in the Baroque manner. The date 1640 is divided symmetrically within the monogram, with '16' to the left and '40' to the right. A beaded inner circle frames the central device, beyond which runs the circumferential legend separated by rosette stops. The outer border is formed by a continuous toothed or milled rim. |
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| Mintage | 1640 |
| Additional information |
Basel struck this half thaler during a period of careful municipal consolidation following the Thirty Years' War, which had devastated much of the surrounding Holy Roman Empire while leaving the city itself largely unscathed — a result of Swiss neutrality that was still informal doctrine rather than codified policy. The city's mint operated under direct cantonal authority, producing silver coinage financed in part by the considerable transit tolls Basel collected on Rhine river traffic.
The HMZ 2-80j variety designation signals a die variant within what is already a sparsely documented run. Surviving examples in any grade are infrequently encountered at auction.