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Swiss Thaler, why do I Love it so? Update Dec 21, Newp Sw-Basel Double Thaler

WildIdeaWildIdea Posts: 1,872 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited December 21, 2017 10:28PM in World & Ancient Coins Forum

When you hang out with coin buds it's only a matter of time before one of their interests rubs off. One such person shared his interest in these Swiss Canton Thalers, and I'm afraid I'm going that direction.

I was first taken by the gothic dragon mostly, just thinking it so neat and full of fantasy. Not something you see very often. Then it's size, large and hearty silver, which never disappoints, until I realized there are 2 and 5 Thalers that are even larger! doh!! So now studying those. Also, city view reverse are another delight. So cool to run a loup over and really makes the city come alive in my imagination. I think of the people that could have spent this coin in that time period. No doubt wealthy, but the beauty if this Thaler would surly had not been missed even back then. This all adds up to a coin that has more than one thing going for it.

When I get into the book I get stoked looking at the other items that exist. A new warm glow is returning for coins that's been slowly waning over the years as I burnt out in the US sector. I've been on coin pause and lately my participation on this site has me looking at my coins and reigniting my interest and I'm excited to finally feel I have a direction.

I also bought this 5 Batz basically because the dragon thing and now I'm thinking of building a Basel type set or at least a denomination set if that's what I can find and afford. I really hope I don't get distracted with the other Cantons, but I know already that when I search around I'll find some that I won't be able to resist.


So what say you guys? Anyone here into these or can impart any advice? Collecting strategy or known dealers? fools errand?

Thanks

Comments

  • harashaharasha Posts: 3,079 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Neither dragon nor griffin, this is the heraldic animal of Basel, the basilisk.

    Honors flysis Income beezis Onches nobis Inob keesis

    DPOTD
  • WildIdeaWildIdea Posts: 1,872 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @harasha said:
    Neither dragon nor griffin, this is the heraldic animal of Basel, the basilisk.

    Even cooler!!! Thanks, a quick search on Basilisk reveals much!

  • Timbuk3Timbuk3 Posts: 11,658 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great !!! :p

    Timbuk3
  • ZoharZohar Posts: 6,629 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Excellent run of pretty coins. I had one prior as well as a massive collection of Swiss Shooting Medals. The engraving is superb. Recently Heritage sold off a massive collection of high quality Swiss coins (Maybe Redwood Collection if I recall correctly) - worth looking up.

  • WildIdeaWildIdea Posts: 1,872 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Zohar said:
    Excellent run of pretty coins. I had one prior as well as a massive collection of Swiss Shooting Medals. The engraving is superb. Recently Heritage sold off a massive collection of high quality Swiss coins (Maybe Redwood Collection if I recall correctly) - worth looking up.

    I will, thanks for the tip!

  • WildIdeaWildIdea Posts: 1,872 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I was lucky enough to catch my buddy today and talk about these Thalers. We looked at several and discussed conditions and access to material as well as what problems might put a raw one in a details holder. I realize I have a lot of homework before I plunk down serious dough for these.

    I was thinking that I might be willing to part with some of my bulk of my US, some 90%, generic silver bullion, 1922 Peace in AU etc. Just stuff, you know, to soften the blow of buying a 2 Thaler let's say.

    I was thinking out loud that if I checked out suddenly and my family had to dispose of say rolls of Morgans, they likely could handle it, but walking into a shop with a Swiss 2 Thaler they'd likely get utterly destroyed. We joked that the oversized slab would need to have pretty large writing on it to send to Heritage and what terms to look for.

    Would this be a concer to anyone here?

  • WildIdeaWildIdea Posts: 1,872 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 21, 2017 10:25PM

    So I'm pleased to announce a Newp that squeezed in at the end of the year. In the last few weeks since posting I've been working on a transaction with Atlas Numismatics to add this Double T to my collection.

    I've been doing lots of research and homework on this series and city history and something cool happened. I was talking to my Wife one morning about this thread and about the lineage of the piece in the OP and flipping through my Krause she was actually showing some interest! I had my suspicions that she was feigning it but we really got into it together for a min there. Lol, so anyway, I was flipping thought this and that and showed her this piece I had saved that Atlas had for sale and she said I should just get it. I actually said I could cover about 2/3 of the price selling some silver so that really green lighted it. I gave them a call and we struck up a pleasant deal and the coin was on its way. I did sell some bulk Peace Dollars I pick a few at a time when I pop into my local shops with my lunch money and it really builds up, but must say, sort of boring to me and worth the swap.

    The folks at Atlas have always been top notch with the upmost professionalism and a real joy to work with. Thank you.

    Now that I have the coin in hand I couldn't wait to get a loupe all over it and take a walk on the city side. A few flecks in the sky look to be rust pits on the die. I just can't really decide what side I like the best as the Basilisk has great detail that really sucks me in, exquisite. It's such a pleasing grade too, most of the details are present and really no problems or any noteworthy hairlines. It's a little more white in hand but photographs a wash of subtle amber toning.

    This is my first oversized slab, an would really mess up the continuity of a box of 20, lol PCGS lists it as a Medal. I placed the two coins together to show scale, the Double it slightly larger and I feel they go well together.

    Thanks for looking, and any feedback is appreciated.

  • EVillageProwlerEVillageProwler Posts: 5,859 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Beautiful acquisition. Congrats on the slightly early Christmas gift.

    EVP

    How does one get a hater to stop hating?

    I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com

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