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Auction: 339 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale at NY INC, Grand Hyatt
Lot: 75

Austria. Republik. 100 Schilling, 1938. Madonna of Mariazell. Fr. 522, KM 2857. By March 1938, Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg had done all he could to suppress the Nazis in Austria and safeguard the country's independence amid the growing calls for Anschluss -- unification with Germany. On the 11th of March, Hitler issued Schuschnigg an ultimatum to hand over power to the Austrian Nazi party or face invasion. Schuschnigg desperately sought support to preserve Austria's independence, but when he saw neither France nor Great Britain were willing to help, he resigned. President Wilhelm Miklas refused to appoint Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart as Chancellor. On the morning of March 12, the 8th Army of the German Wehrmacht crossed the border into Austria. That afternoon, Adolf Hitler, riding in a car, crossed the border at his birthplace Branau am Inn with a 4,000-man bodyguard. Important members of Austria's First Republic, potential dissenters and Jews were quickly rounded up. Within the first few days, 70,000 people had been arrested. Still overall there was far greater enthusiasm in Austria for Anschluss than anyone expected. Impressed by this Hitler, scraped his original idea of having Austria as a puppet state run by Seyss-Inquart, and fully absorbed Austria into the German Reich. As a result, most of the 1938 dated 100 Schillings, which only had a mintage of 1400 pieces, were destroyed. Extremely Rare. Prooflike strike. Brilliant Uncirculated. A similar example hammered for 60,000 SFr in Numismatica Genevensis Sale 7, lot 1164.

Sold for
$45,000