The cantons of the
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy, also known as Switzerland or the Swiss Confederacy, was a loose confederation of independent small states (, German or ), initially within the Holy Roman Empire. It is the precursor of the modern state of Switzerlan ...
used a currency system consisting of based on the old unit of the ''
Schilling Schilling may refer to:
* Schilling (unit), an historical unit of measurement
* Schilling (coin), the historical European coin
** Shilling, currency historically used in Europe and currently used in the East African Community
** Austrian schilling ...
'', with the Schilling divided into 4 ''Rappen'' or 12 ''Haller''. The ''
Taler'' was a large silver coin equivalent to 72 ''Schilling'' or 2 ''Gulden'' that came into use in the 16th century. The ''
Batzen'' was an intermediate coin equivalent to 2 ''Schilling'' or ''Gulden''.
Overview
''Taler'' were minted in
Zürich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
during the 16th to 18th centuries, with Talers, ''Doppeltaler'' and ''halbe Taler'', first minted in Zürich in the 16th century. First dated coins are Guilders minted in 1512. Taler coins consisted of 27 to 28 grams of silver, with a diameter of 39 to 43 mm.
The currency used in the 18th century was a ''thaler'' worth of a
Cologne mark
The Cologne mark is an obsolete unit of weight (or mass) equivalent to 233.856 grams (about 3,609 grains). The Cologne mark was in use from the 11th century onward. It came to be used as the base unit for a number of currency standards, including ...
and a ''gulden'' worth of a
Cologne mark
The Cologne mark is an obsolete unit of weight (or mass) equivalent to 233.856 grams (about 3,609 grains). The Cologne mark was in use from the 11th century onward. It came to be used as the base unit for a number of currency standards, including ...
. The Gulden was divided into 40 ''schilling'' or 60 ''kreuzer''. The French
silver ''écu'' was valued at 2 ''gulden''.
The French écu was equivalent to 4 francs of the Helvetic Republic, and afterwards to 4
Zürich frank
The Frank was the currency of the Switzerland, Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Canton of Zürich, Zürich between 1806 and 1850. It was subdivided into 10 ''Batzen'', each of 10 ''Rappen'', with 3 ''Heller'' to the Rappen and 4 Rappen to ...
en. This 4-franken or 40-batzen ''Neutaler'' was minted during 1806–1848.
In the late 18th century, silver coins were issued in denominations of 5, 10 and 20 ''Schilling'', and 1 ''Taler''. Zürich also minted gold half-ducats and ducats. A ten ducats coin minted in 1724, with a weight of 34.8 grams in gold, is in possession of the Swiss National Museum.
See also
*
Baden thaler
The Thaler was a coin issued by Baden of varying equivalents to its currency, the South German gulden, each of 60 kreuzer. Beginning in 1690, the Reichsthaler specie coin of 25.984 g fine silver was issued for 2 gulden. After 1754, the Conventio ...
References
*
* Hans-Peter Capon: HMZ-Katalog Schweiz - Liechtenstein 15. Jahrhundert bis Gegenwarts. Zürich, 1995.
Zürich auf seinen Talern (moneymuseum.com)
External links
Collectible Coins & Bullion
Canton of Zürich
Modern obsolete currencies
Currencies of Switzerland
1798 disestablishments
Thaler
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