1 Angster

Schwyz was among the last Swiss cantons to surrender its coinage rights after the Helvetic Republic's collapse, and this issue reflects the stubborn monetary particularism that made Swiss currency unification so protracted. The angster itself was an ancient Rhenish unit of account that had survived in Central Switzerland long after neighboring regions abandoned it. Actual circulation was limited — these fractional coppers were worth almost nothing and often rejected in inter-cantonal trade, which likely explains why surviving examples frequently show minimal wear despite the type spanning nearly four decades.