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8 Ducats
| Issuer | City of Basel |
|---|---|
| Year | 1741 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Thaler (1621- 1798) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A detailed panoramic view of the city of Basel stretches across the central field, depicting the Rhine bridge, cathedral spires, and the city skyline in fine engraved perspective. Above the cityscape, a semicircular arc of eight heraldic shields representing associated guilds or allied territories is arranged in a decorative arc. The Latin city name BASILEA appears in the upper central field, and the date 1741 is inscribed in the lower exergue flanked by foliate ornaments and a small crowned shield. The whole is enclosed within a milled border. |
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| Additional information |
Basel's multiple-ducat strikes of the eighteenth century were prestige pieces from the outset — produced not for circulation but for presentation at civic ceremonies, diplomatic occasions, and as gifts to visiting dignitaries. The city's republican government maintained this practice long after many Swiss cantons had abandoned it. KM#176 is recorded in very small numbers, consistent with the on-demand nature of such issues rather than any scheduled minting program.
The .986 fineness is notably purer than the Venetian ducat standard it nominally references.