5 Franc    (sold for $280.0)

1883, Switzerland, Ticino (Canton). Silver Lugano Shooting Thaler (5 Fr.) Coin.

Mint Year: 1883
Mintage: 30,000 pcs.
Medallist: E. Durossel
Region: Lugano (Switzerland)
Condition: Scattered bag-marks and scratches, otherwise AU!
References: Davenport 390, HMZ 2-1343n, Martin 773, KM-XS16.
Denomination: 5 Francs ("Shooting Thaler") - Commemorating the federal shooting festival in Lugano (canton of Ticino), 1883.
Material: Silver (.835)
Diameter: 37mm
Weight: 25gm

Obverse: Helvetica with sword and shield and river god with prow seated on a rock. Below tunnel with a steam-powered engine coming out of tunnel. Lake and mountains in background to left, a jug from which water is flowing to right.
Legend: TIRO FEDERALE IN LUGANO 1883
Translated: "Federal shooting in Lugano 1883."

Reverse: Coat of Arms of Lugano with shooting cap, rifle and standards with olive branch surrounding. Lake and mountains in background. Denomination (5 Fr.) below.
Legend: LIBERTADE INERME É DE' TIRANNI AGEVOL PREDA
Translated: "Defenseless liberty is easy prey for tyrants!"

Lugano (Lügàn) is a city of 55,060 inhabitants (as of December 2009) in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy. The origin of the name is possibly the Latin word Lucus, meaning wood or sacred wood, or Gaulish locovanno "lake dweller".