SINCONA AG Offers Swiss Rarities And Coins For Investors

Coin enthusiasts are waiting eagerly for the catalogues of SINCONA in Zurich as the auction had to be postponed from May to June due to the exceptional situation worldwide. Auctions 63 and 64 focus on world coins and medals, bullion issues for investors and important pieces from Switzerland. About 4,000 lots with an estimate of almost 3 million Swiss francs are waiting to be given a worthy place in new collections and coin shops. However, an overview for interested readers has to be limited to selected pieces.

This time the two catalogues were dispatched five weeks prior to the auction already, and the catalogue has been available online since April 10. Thus collectors and clients in this exceptional time that the world is currently experiencing have and had enough time to study the catalogues, look at the lots and ask questions. If you do not want or are not allowed to come to Zurich for viewing the objects, the SINCONA staff will help you make your decision, take additional detailed photos and give you advice. Obviously, also this time the action house offers the possibility of participating online via the AUEX-Auction Platform. It is not difficult to log in, and the SINCONA staff will be happy to provide you with technical support in case you need to register for the first time. Please do not hesitate to contact them at +41-44-215 1090 or via email.

1 of 9

SINCONA Auction 63

At auction 63 on 8 and 9 June, coin lovers will find gold and silver coins as well as medals from all over the world and the traditional SINCONA bullion auction. Special sections will appeal to special collectors: Albania with 62 lots, Germany with 549 lots, including almost 200 lots with Nuremberg coins and medals. The section of France is also very strong and comprises almost 300 lots. It is worthwhile browsing through this section as specialists will find issues of various small mints, which are usually hard to come by. More than 150 lots of Italian pieces are followed by the coins and medals of the Holy Roman Empire and the chapters Romania and Russia. Are you getting excited? Here we show you some outstanding pieces of this auction 63:

• Lot 88: Belgium, Kingdom. Leopold I 1831-1865. 40 francs 1834, Brussels. Morin p. 153. Schl. 1. 403. Extremely rare. Only approx. 10 specimens struck. PCGS AU55. Estimate: CHF 20,000
• Lot 184: Denmark. Christian IX 1863-1906. Gold medal 1898. Celebrating the king’s 80th birthday on 8 April. Extremely rare. Frosted. Almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 15,000
• Lot 204: Germany, Bavaria. Ludwig X, 1516-1545. Silver medal 1540. Very rare as original strike. Filled hole. Extremely fine piece. NGC AU Details. Estimate: CHF 12,000
• Lot 308: Mainz, archbishopric. Berthold von Henneberg 1484-1508. Gold gulden 1494, Mainz. 3.26 g. Levinson I-317 var. (without image). Extremely rare. Very fine to extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 5,000
• Lot 351: Nuremberg, city. ½ Pflegeamtsguldiner 1580. Very rare. Extremely fine cast with old gilding and enamelling. Estimate: CHF 1,000
• Lot 467: Nuremberg, city. Silver medal 1742. On the voyage of Governor-General Gustaaf Willem Imhoff to the Dutch East Indies. Imhoff was appointed governor of the Dutch East Indies in 1740. Extremely fine +. Estimate: CHF 4,000
• Lot 500: Nuremberg, city. Ducat 1790. Almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 3,000
• Lot 538: Saxony, duchy. John George I 1615-1656. 2 ducats 1636 SD, Dresden. Mint master Sebald Dierleber. Extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 5,000
• Lot 553: Saxony, duchy. Frederick Augustus III (I), 1763-1827. 10 talers 1778 EDC, Dresden. Gem with fine patina. Miniscule scratches. Almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 10,000
• Lot 581: Sulz, county. Karl Ludwig Ernst 1616-1648. Groschen (3 kreuzers) n. d. (ca. 1622), Tiengen. Three curved coat of arms. Very rare. Very fine to extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 1,000There are three different groschen types of Count Karl Ludwig Ernst: the one offered here; another type with the Spanish, not curved coat of arms (cf. SINCONA auction 44, lot 5689); and as recently as in the autumn of 2018 another and undated type of the groschen reappeared, which had been lost for about 100 years and of which probably only this single specimen is known, it features the simple, oval and crowned coat of arms with the “Sulzer Spitzen”.
• Lot 742: France / Italy – Venice. Louis the Pious, 814-840. Denarius n. d. Venice. Beautiful patina. Extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 1,000
• Lot 1023: France. French colonial empire. Araucanía and Patagonia (New France). Orélie-Antoine I 1860-1878. 1 peso 1874. Pattern in silver. Very rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 1,200
  French lawyer Orélie-Antoine de Tounens planned to found a state in the southern part of Chile and Argentina with the support of the indigenous Mapuche people, which was obviously prevented by the two South American countries. If you’re particularly interested in this curious story of the coins from Araucanía and Patagonia, have a look at the SINCONA homepage. SINCONA team member, Ruedi Kunzmann, did further research on the subject.
• Lot 1186: Italy, Mantua. Guglielmo Gonzaga, 1550-1587. 1/2 scudo d’oro n.d. CNI -. Fr.-. Extremely rare. Unique. NGC MS62. Estimate: CHF 25,000
  In the middle of the 15 century, it became common in northern Italy to produce only very limited amounts of mezzi scudi d’oro, which means that all of them are extremely rare today. The mezzo scudo of Mantua was minted between 1550 and 1555 together with the CRISTO IN CROCE (CNI 1/2), as both are very similar. It features martyr Saint Andrew, who doesn’t appear on any other issue of Mantovese coinage.
• Lot 1343: Congo (Belgian). Leopold II 1865-1909. 5 francs 1896, Brussels. Pattern in silver. Extremely rare. Beautiful patina. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: CHF 2,000
• Lot 1426: Dutch East Indies. Banjarmasin (Borneo). 2 ducatones 1750 (year: 1570 sic). Regional imitation of a Dutch double ducatones piece in gold. Extremely rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 8,000
  The piece was made on behalf of the Indian sovereign and was never supposed to enter circulation. He had it made as representative piece and donativum.
• Lot 1593: HRE/Austria, Maria Theresa, 1740-1780. 10 souverains d’or 1751, Antwerp. Very rare. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: CHF 25,000
• Lot 1639: HRE/Austria, Franz Joseph I, 1848-1916. Gold medal 1869. Commemorating the emperor’s visit of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Weighing 92 ducats. Extremely rare. NGC MS63. Estimate: CHF 25,000
• Lot 1694: HRE/Austria, Archbishopric of Salzburg, Sigismund v. Schrattenbach, 1753-1771. Gold medal of 10 ducats 1753. Commemorating him being elected archbishop on 5 April. Zöttl 2877. Very rare. Estimate: CHF 10,000
• Lot 1717: Romania, Carol II, 1930-1940. 20 lei 1939, mint. Bucharest. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of Charles I. Very rare. Only 91 specimens minted. Estimate: CHF 8,000
• Lot 1761: Russia, Catherine II, 1762-1796. 10 roubles 1764, Mint of Saint Petersburg, SPB. Showpiece, uncirculated. Estimate: CHF 15,000

The section bullion auction of SINCONA rounds off auction catalogue 63. The auction platform has turned into a staple at SINCONA. It presents investment and bullion gold offered at the best terms possible for both private persons as well as dealers who want to invest. You can find a small special section here, too: based on the price of silver, 100 modern silver art issues are offered displaying special features of today’s numismatics.

Do you know that you do not have to pay any premium at this special auction, regardless of whether you participate as a bidder on site, by e-mail or letter or via live bidding? Take a close look at how this auction works, it is easier than most people think.

1 of 7

SINCONA Auction 64

On 9 and 10 June 2020, the entire catalogue 64 of SINCONA AG is dedicated to Swiss numismatics. More than 1,700 lots with an estimate of about 1.5 million Swiss francs are distributed among the sections coins and medals, mint error coins and shooting medals.

It is impressive how SINCONA always manages to offer old issues of such outstanding grades, not only those of the Swiss Confederation but also pieces from the different cantons of all centuries. A great example is the section featuring issues from the canton of Bern, where specialists can admire 92 lots with pieces of gold, silver and other alloys with an estimate of more than 150,000 Swiss francs.

An increasing amount of collectors are interested in mint error coins – which are represented by almost 300 lots with an estimate of 135,000 Swiss francs – because it is exciting to see how die, mint, edge and blank errors can also happen to Swiss manufacturers, who are known for their precise work. SINCONA is able to offer what is certainly the largest and currently the most comprehensive collection of Swiss mint error coins. It was built up over several decades and contains numerous rarities.

One might well call it the favourite topic of Zurich numismatists; Swiss shooting talers and medals. This market has been booming for years, not only at a national level – almost all over the world collectors and dealers are interested in these beautiful pieces. This is demonstrated by the fact that the well-known standard reference by Jürg Richter will soon even be published in Chinese. Thus, towards the end of this catalogue we come across 375 lots of shooting medals with a total estimate of almost 165,000 Swiss francs.

Here are a few selected pieces of catalogue 64.

• Lot 3144: Switzerland, Bern. 10 francs n.d. (1772). Pattern. Very rare. Only 64 specimens minted. Extremely fine +. Estimate: CHF 20,000
• Lot 3146: Switzerland, Bern. 6 ducats n.d. (ca. 1775). Extremely rare. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: CHF 40,000
• Lot 3194: Switzerland, Canton of Bern. 4 francs 1826. Pattern. Extremely rare. Only 75 specimens struck. Almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 12,500
• Lot 3259: Switzerland, Geneva. Ecu pistolet 1579. Mint mark G. Extremely rare. Extremely fine +. Estimate: CHF 35,000
• Lot 3487: Switzerland, Obwalden. Gold medal n.d. (after 1791). Medal by Brupacher. Extremely rare gem. Specimen from the Hauser-Späth Collection, FDC. Estimate: CHF 20,000
• Lot 3509: Switzerland, Schwyz. Schilling 1730, Bäch Mint. Extremely rare in this grade, small strip end. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: CHF 2,000
• Lot 3538: Switzerland, Solothurn. Half taler n.d. (middle of the 16th century). Very rare. Very fine. Estimate: CHF 4,500
• Lot 3614: Switzerland, Ticino. 2 francs 1813. Mint of Bern (without star mint mark). Gorgeous quality with beautiful patina. NGC MS65. Estimate: CHF 3,000
• Lot 3713: Switzerland, Valais, Diocese of Sion. Philipp de Platea, 1522-1529. Gros/half batzen 1529, off-metal strike on wood. Extremely rare. Very fine +. Estimate: CHF 2,000
• Lot 3826: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. 5 francs 1850 A (mint of Paris). Extremely rare in this grade, first strike of gorgeous quality. NGC SP64. Estimate: CHF 3,000
  Of the first issues of the Swiss Confederation struck in 1850, there are only very few pieces known as “first strikes”.
• Lot 4017: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. Mint Error Coins. 10 rappen 1921. Exceptionally strong planchet error. Extremely rare. The only known specimen. Almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 500
• Lot 4024: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. Mint Error Coins. 5 rappen 1925 B, Bern. Strongly off-centred, incuse double strike on the reverse. The only known specimen. Gorgeous first strike, FDC. Estimate: CHF 2,500
• This piece is probably one of the most “dramatic” but also one of the most attractive mint error coins of Switzerland.
• Lot 4140: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. Mint Error Coins. 1 franc 1963 B, Bern. Struck on a blank of 2 ½ piastres of Syria. Extremely rare. FDC. Estimate: CHF 3,000
  Alloy according to X-ray spectroscopy: 92% copper and 8% aluminium.
• Lot 4574: Switzerland, Ticino. Shooting talers, shooting medals & other shooting issues. Silver medal 1845. Tiro Cantonale in Mendrisio. Extremely rare and of gorgeous quality. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: CHF 1,250
• Lot 4596: Switzerland, Ticino. Shooting talers, shooting medals & other shooting issues. Silver medal 1891. Tiro Ticino-Riviera in Arbedo. Very rare. With original suspension. Almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 750

You can find the complete auction catalogues on the SINCONA website.

The SINCONA team hopes to welcome you in person in beautiful Zurich in June. But, as mentioned above, you can reach them as well by phone, e-mail or online.