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2 Ducats Klippe, 5 ducats weight
| Issuer | City of Zürich |
|---|---|
| Year | 1641 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Ducats |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | ✶ MON ✶ NO ✶ REIPVBLI ✶ THVRICENSIS 16 41 (Translation: Latin (unabridged): Moneta Nova Reipublicae Thuricensis English: New coin of the Republic of Zürich) |
| Reverse description | At centre, a crowned and nimbate displayed double-headed imperial eagle with wings spread, rendered in bold relief with finely detailed feathering on the wings and a scaly body; a single imperial crown surmounts both heads, which face outward in opposite directions. The eagle is contained within a beaded inner circle, itself surrounded by a rope-twist border. The circular legend, separated from the central device by the beaded ring, reads in Latin, punctuated by small star stops, and runs continuously around the field. |
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| Additional information |
Klippe issues from Zürich were not everyday currency — they were presentation pieces, struck on square planchets cut to specific weight standards and distributed as gifts to dignitaries, foreign envoys, and military commanders. The 1641 date places this during the Thirty Years' War, when Swiss cities maintained careful diplomatic neutrality while their mercenaries fought on every side. A coin of this weight and format would have moved through exactly those channels.
The five-ducat weight on a two-ducat klippe designation reflects the square planchet's surface-to-weight ratio, not an error — a convention well understood by Hürlimann's cataloging.