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Denier or Rappen
| Issuer | Colmar, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1500-1580 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| 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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| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | MB#23, E&L#37 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central field features a cross pattée or cross of simple form in low relief, occupying most of the inner circle, characteristic of small medieval billon and silver pfennig coinage of the Upper Rhine region. The cross motif is heavily worn and struck on an irregular flan, with no discernible legend. A prominent beaded border encircles the design, consistent with the hammered technique employed throughout the issue. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Colmar's civic coinage in this period existed largely because the city, as a Free Imperial City within the Habsburg sphere, retained the right to strike small silver fractions even as larger monetary consolidation was underway across the Upper Rhine. The Rappen monetary system — shared loosely among Alsatian and Swiss cities — created a patchwork of interchangeable small denominations that facilitated cross-border trade at the market level without requiring centralized mint authority.
At 0.24 g, these pieces were among the lightest silver coins in regular circulation in the region, and surviving examples are almost universally worn thin.