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Dicken Countermarked
| Issuer | Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, Monetary Union of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1500-1513 |
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| Currency | Fiorino d`argento (1503-1548) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Nimbed bust of Saint Peter facing right, depicted in profile with episcopal attributes, rendered in late Gothic style. A countermark has been applied to the field, consisting of a facing nimbed bust of a bishop, identified as probably Saint Ambrose of Milan. The legend surrounds the central device, with the saint's name inscribed in Latin capitals. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (1500-1513) |
| Additional information |
The three Forest Cantons — Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden — operated a short-lived monetary union in the early sixteenth century partly to assert collective control over the coin types circulating in their territories. Countermarking existing dicken was a practical enforcement mechanism: foreign or cantonal issues that met weight and fineness standards were stamped and reauthorized for local circulation rather than melted, saving the considerable cost of recoinage.
The HMZ reference 2-941a distinguishes this countermarked type from the union's own struck issues. The window between 1500 and 1513 closes with the confederation's broader monetary realignments following the Italian campaigns.