A recent auction in Switzerland has created a buzz among coin collectors and enthusiasts of historical artifacts.
A rare gold coin minted in 1609 during the reign of Spain’s King Philip III sold for a record-breaking 2,817,500 Swiss francs (approximately $3.49 million), setting a new benchmark in European auction history.
Weighing an astonishing 339 grams, the unique coin was crafted from gold brought by Spanish conquerors from the New World, specifically America, to the city of Segovia in Spain.
Known as the “Sencillín,” the coin was specially made to display royal power and wealth. Experts note that at the time, its value was equivalent to several years’ wages.
The coin remained lost for centuries before resurfacing around 1950 in the United States, where it was purchased by a collector in New York. It subsequently changed hands among various collectors, though the identity of the current buyer remains undisclosed.
According to Alain Beron, founder of the auction house, the coin was originally a royal gift presented only to rulers, and its new owner will, in a sense, attain a status akin to royalty.
This historic coin also surpassed the previous European record for a gold coin, which was a 100-ducat coin of Habsburg ruler Ferdinand III, sold for 1.95 million Swiss francs.
