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6 Ducats
| Issuer | City of Zürich |
|---|---|
| Year | 1734 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 6 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 | A rampant lion passant guardant to the left occupies the centre of the field, brandishing a drawn sword aloft in its right forepaw while supporting with its left forepaw the oval arms of Zürich — a diagonally divided shield bearing horizontal lines — set on a decorative cartouche resting on the ground line. The numeral '6' appears below the shield, denoting the denomination. The encircling Latin legend MONETA REIPUBLICÆ TIGURINAE runs along the periphery, separated from the milled border by a narrow inner rim, with a small floral ornament serving as a stop above the lion's head. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A finely detailed panoramic cityscape of Zürich fills the entire field, depicting the medieval city viewed from the Limmat river, with the twin towers of the Grossmünster prominent to the right and the spire of the Fraumünster to the left, alongside numerous ecclesiastical and civic buildings rendered in fine relief. The Limmat river occupies the lower portion of the scene, with small vessels navigating its waters and bridge structures visible. The date 1734 appears within an ornamental cartouche at the lower centre of the field. The legend TIGURUM — the Latin name for Zürich — arcs along the upper periphery within the milled border. |
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| Additional information |
Six-ducat pieces from Zürich occupy a peculiar position in Swiss civic coinage — they were struck not for commerce but almost exclusively as presentation gifts, distributed by the city council to foreign dignitaries, military officers, and imperial representatives whose goodwill Zürich needed to cultivate. By the 1730s, the practice was well-established enough that these pieces were budgeted as a diplomatic expense. Few entered circulation in any meaningful sense, which explains why survivors tend to retain considerable surface quality despite being nearly three centuries old.
Fr#484 is a rare confirmation that Zürich's mint was still producing substantial gold multiples well into the eighteenth century, a capability most Swiss city-states had quietly abandoned by this period.