The Siege of Breisach

227, Lot: 563. Estimate $1000. Sold for $625. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

GERMANY, Breisach. AR Achtundvierzig Batzen Klippe (16.17 g, 12h). Siege issue. Dated 1633. Coat-of-arms of Austria and Elsass above that of Breisach; all around central rosette; • 16 33 • above; XL and VIII flanking Breisach arms; all within linear and reeded border / (elongated rosette)/MO : NO :/VAST : ALS:/[(elongated rosette)] E • T (elongated rosette)/BRISIACAE/INDEX •/(rosette flanked by wedges) (second S over X) in seven lines across field; all within linear and pearl border. Brause-Mansfeld, pl. IV, 9; Mailliet 3.3. Good VF, toned. Trace of uncertain hallmark on obverse.

Ex J.D. Lasser Collection (Elsen 91, 24 March 2007), lot 1192; Argenor (25 April 2002), lot 668.

In 1633, the French besieged the strategically important fortress of Breisach. In October of that year, the combined forces of the Spanish, under the Duke of Feria, and the Bavarians successfully lifted the siege.