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Batzen
| Issuer | City of Solothurn |
|---|---|
| Year | 1401-1499 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | HMZ 2#2-815, SMK7 Slt#34, SMK7 Slt#35 |
| Obverse description | Central field bears the arms of Solothurn — a divided shield with a latticed or diaper-patterned upper half flanked by the initials S and O, with a plain lower half — surmounted by a displayed eagle. The shield is enclosed within a beaded inner circle, with the circular legend in uncial Gothic lettering occupying the broad outer margin. The heraldic composition is rendered in the late medieval style typical of Swiss cantonal coinage of the 15th century. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Mintage | ND (1401-1499) - 2-815a, no S O - ND (1401-1499) - 2-815b, with S O - |
| Additional information |
The batzen as a denomination emerged in the Swiss Confederation during the late fifteenth century, with Bern generally credited as the originating mint around 1492. Solothurn's adoption of the type reflects the rapid monetary harmonization occurring among Confederate cities as cross-border trade demanded interchangeable coinage. The name itself derives from the bear — Betz — on the Bernese prototype, a linguistic detail that persisted long after individual cities adapted the design to their own civic imagery.
SMK7 records two distinct varieties for this Solothurn issue, Slt#34 and Slt#35, suggesting at least two separate die phases within the century span.