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1/2 Ducat
| Issuer | City of Zürich |
|---|---|
| Year | 1707-1709 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | A rampant lion passant guardant to the right supports with its forepaws the arms of Zürich — a per pale shield divided vertically, the dexter half diagonally striped — while brandishing an upright sword in its right paw. The heraldic group is set upon a hatched groundline within a fine beaded inner circle. The Latin legend MONETA REIP TIGURINÆ ('Coinage of the Republic of Zürich') runs around the periphery between the beaded circle and the milled edge, with the inscription reading continuously from lower left. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | MONETA REIP TIGURINÆ |
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| Additional information |
Zürich's ducat coinage in the early eighteenth century was tied directly to the city's role as a Protestant financial hub in the Confederation, with the mint operating under strict guild oversight that made production runs characteristically small and closely audited. The three-year span of this issue almost certainly reflects a specific authorization by the city council rather than continuous minting — Zürich did not strike on demand but by formal decree.
The .986 fineness slightly exceeds the Venetian ducat standard, a deliberate choice that helped Zürich's gold trade favorably in northern European merchant circuits.