Switzerland 5 Francs 1944 B NGC MS63

HMZ 2# 1223g, Divo/Tob19# 332, KM# 45, Schön# 40, Y# 52, N# 12905; Silver ; The Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs was fought between the Old Swiss Confederacy and French (mostly Armagnac) mercenaries, on the banks of river Birs, near Münchenstein, just outside the city walls of Basel, today within Basel's St-Alban district. The battle took place on 26 August 1444 and was part of the Old Zurich War. Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini described that during the battle, the Swiss ripped bloody crossbow bolts from their bodies and charged the enemy even after being wounded by spears or having lost their hands. Eventually, the Swiss army weakened and retreated into the small hospital of Saint Jakob, where the Armagnac troops defeated them. The battle was a devastating defeat for the Swiss, but a strategic success. Due to the heavy casualties sustained, the French gave up advancing towards Zurich and turned back, contributing to the eventual Swiss victory in the Old Zurich War.; UNC with mint luster