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½ Kreuzer
| Issuer | City of Bern |
|---|---|
| Year | 1731 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | ½ Kreuzer (1⁄320) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central device comprising an ornate cartouche with scrollwork at top and bottom, enclosing the standing bear of Bern passant to the left, rendered in relief against a plain field. The bear, the heraldic symbol of the city, is depicted in a naturalistic style within the shaped shield. The circumferential legend MONETA BERNENSIS runs around the periphery in bold Latin capitals, separated from the milled border by a narrow inner rim. The overall design is framed by a prominent reeded edge characteristic of milled coinage of the period. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | MONETA BERNENSIS |
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| Additional information |
A gold half-kreuzer from Bern is an oddity worth pausing on. The kreuzer was a copper denomination by the early eighteenth century across virtually all Swiss and German-speaking territories, making a gold striking at this fractional value almost certainly a presentation or Schaugepräge piece rather than anything intended for commerce. Bern's mint had a tradition of producing such pieces for civic occasions, diplomatic gifts, and the collections of the patrician families who effectively governed the canton.
At 0.78 g, the gold content alone would have far exceeded face value.