Moneta
Registered: August 2005
Location: Arizona USA
Posts: 2,365
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After a siege of over seven months the forces of Revolutionary France finally convinced the the people of Luxembourg to demand capitulation by the Hapsburg forces defending the fortress. The fortress was famous as the most secure in northern Europe, only Gibraltar was considered to have stronger defenses. The punishment the revolutionary forces of France were able to inflict caused the inhabitants to give up. The fortresses of Luxembourg and Mainz were the last hold-out areas west of the Rhine River and the "Committee of Public Safety" in Paris wanted a final defeat. With the fall of Luxembourg French revolutionary armies were able to march north and establish the Batavian Republic, thus removing the Netherlands from British and Prussian influence. F II refers to Frans II.
These coins are very scarce with the other denomination (72 asses in silver), being very rare. The date on this 1 Sol piece is 1795 although it can appear to be 1796 in some light situations. The coin, like many siege pieces, is cast. KM lists it as copper but this example appears to be brass.
1 SOL, 1795, KM 19; 30 - 31 mm at 16.05 g. VF for type.
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