1/2 Batzen - Frederick William III shield with right angles

Neuchâtel occupied a peculiar constitutional position in this period: nominally a Prussian principality governed by Frederick William III, yet geographically embedded within Swiss territory and subject to intense French revolutionary pressure. The "right angles" shield variety distinguishes this type from a contemporaneous issue with curved shield corners — a die difference now catalogued separately by Froidevaux — making attribution essential before pricing.

By 1806, Napoleon awarded Neuchâtel to Marshal Berthier, effectively ending Hohenzollern rule and closing this coinage series abruptly.