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Rappen
| Issuer | City of Basel |
|---|---|
| Year | 1400-1499 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | As a hammered billon or thin silver Rappen of this period, the reverse typically displays a uniface or weakly incuse impression of the obverse design, with the Basel crozier motif faintly visible in negative relief due to the single-sided striking technique common to small medieval Rappen coinage. The surface is plain and largely featureless, with no legends, inscriptions, or additional devices present. The flan shows characteristic irregularities in shape and thickness consistent with hand-cut medieval planchets. |
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| Mint | Basel Mint |
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| Additional information |
Basel's rappen coinage of the fifteenth century was produced under the city's own monetary authority, a right jealously defended against encroachment from both the Bishop of Basel and the broader Swiss confederate monetary agreements being negotiated during this period. At 0.25g, these were the smallest denominations in active circulation, handled daily by market traders at the Rhine crossing.
HMZ 2#56a places this among the earliest catalogued civic issues from Basel, predating the city's formal entry into the Swiss Confederation in 1501.