A large gold coin minted in 1609 for Spain's King Philip III could break records to become the most valuable coin in Europe at a sale in Switzerland on Monday (November 24).

The unique 339-gram piece has a starting price of 2 million Swiss francs ($2.48 million), the Geneva-based Numismatica Genevensis SA auction house said.

"It's highly likely that this coin ... will certainly set a new record," its director Frank Baldacci told Reuters.

The Centen, or 100 escudos in a former Spanish currency, was made in the central Spanish city of Segovia out of gold brought from conquerors who went to the Americas.

It was made as a show of regal wealth and power, equalling many years' salary, and is the largest in modern European history, auction house founder Alain Baron said.

Lost for several centuries, it turned up in the United States around 1950 where a New York collector bought it before selling it to a Spanish buyer a decade later. It was later auctioned to another collector, whose identity is not public.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. GOLD COIN MINTED IN 1609 IN SPAIN BEING TAKEN OUT OF GLASS CASE

2. COIN IN BOX / DETAILS OF COIN ON LABEL

3. COIN BEING PLACED ON TRAY

4. FOUNDER OF NUMISMATICA GENEVENSIS SA (NGSA) AUCTION HOUSE, ALAIN BARON, HOLDING COIN WITH HIS CHILDREN SARAH (LEFT) AND SACHA STANDING ON EITHER SIDE

5. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FOUNDER OF NUMISMATICA GENEVENSIS SA (NGSA) AUCTION HOUSE, ALAIN BARON, SAYING:

“So here we present an exceptional coin, one of the most important in European history. It is the first (100 escudo) and largest gold coin of 17th-century Spain, and also the largest coin of the modern period."

6. SARAH POINTING OUT SYMBOL OF AQUEDUCT ON COIN REPRESENTING SEGOVIA, WHERE IT WAS MADE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FOUNDER OF NUMISMATICA GENEVENSIS SA (NGSA) AUCTION HOUSE, ALAIN BARON, SAYING:

“And so, the city of Segovia is symbolised by an aqueduct, which is featured on the coin. And in fact, even today, this aqueduct can still be seen in the city of Segovia."

SEGOVIA, SPAIN (FILE - MARCH 12, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

8. VIEW OF HISTORIC CENTRE OF SEGOVIA

9. VARIOUS OF SEGOVIA’S CASTLE

10. VARIOUS OF ROMAN-ERA AQUEDUCT

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 24, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

11. DIRECTOR OF NGSA, FRANK BALDACCI, HOLDING COIN IN BOX

12. VARIOUS OF BALDACCI HOLDING BOX

13. (SOUNDBITE) (French) DIRECTOR OF NGSA, FRANK BALDACCI, SAYING:

“This is a 100-escudo coin. This wasn't a coin that was minted for everyday circulation. It was a large sum of money. It was truly a ceremonial coin commissioned by the king to demonstrate to the world, to friends, to other kings, the absolute power of Spain."

14. COIN IN BOX

15. (SOUNDBITE) (French) DIRECTOR OF NGSA, FRANK BALDACCI, SAYING:

“So, this coin, estimated at 2 million Swiss francs, will certainly break the record for the most expensive European coin of all time. It (final price) is unknown to us, the organisers of the sale. Of course, people don't usually talk about unique items like this."

16. COIN IN BOX

17. (SOUNDBITE) (French) DIRECTOR OF NGSA, FRANK BALDACCI, SAYING:

“So, in the market for antique coins, some exceptional items, mostly from across the Atlantic in the United States, have reached 10 or even slightly more than $10 million, with the record being around $16 million for an American coin. A Russian coin fetched just under three million Swiss francs ($3.7 million) and for a truly European coin, the current record is held by a 100-ducat coin, also a significant coin, which sold for 1.95 million (Swiss francs). Therefore, it's highly likely that this coin, which starts at 2 million (Swiss francs), will certainly set a new record."

18. BALDACCI SHOWING COIN

19. BALDACCI LOOKING THROUGH AUCTION CATALOGUE

20. BALDACCI SHOWING COIN FEATURING IMAGES OF CLEOPATRA AND HER LOVER MARC ANTONY, WHICH WILL ALSO BE UP FOR AUCTION

21. VARIOUS OF BALDACCI HOLDING COIN