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1/2 Batzen - William IV
| Issuer | Bavaria, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1508-1511 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Kreuzers (1⁄30) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central shield bearing the Wittelsbach arms, surmounted by a small letter 'S', all within a beaded inner circle. A circular legend in Roman (Latin) letters surrounds the shield, with the date appearing at the end of the inscription. The design is characteristic of early sixteenth-century Bavarian hammered coinage, with angular gothic-influenced lettering. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
William IV became sole Duke of Bavaria only after a prolonged dynastic struggle with his brother Louis X, the two eventually agreeing in 1514 to rule jointly — but this half-Batzen predates that settlement, struck during the years William held contested authority in the duchy. The Batzen denomination itself was a relatively new invention at this point, having emerged from Swiss minting practice in the 1490s and spreading rapidly through southern German territories as a practical response to the chronic shortage of mid-value silver coinage.
The three-year window of this issue likely reflects a specific administrative or monetary reform that closed it out.