2 Thalers

Basel's two-thaler pieces of this period were civic prestige issues rather than workhorse currency — struck in limited quantities for presentation, diplomatic exchange, and the cabinets of wealthy burghers. The city-state's mint operated under tight council oversight, and large-denomination silver of this weight was rarely released into general circulation, which explains why survivors tend to present in comparatively sound condition despite their age.

The HMZ 2#98b attribution places this among a tightly documented series, with the Divo/Tobler concordance confirming the variety designation. Die-linking within the 98b group is well established in the specialist literature.