Bern Coin List
The city of Bern, founded in 1191, played a crucial role in the history of Switzerland and its cantons. As the capital of the canton of Bern and later of the Swiss Confederation, the city was an important political and economic center. Its monetary system reflected the complexity and diversity of the Swiss Confederation during the 16th to 19th centuries.
Bern's monetary system
Bern, like other Swiss cantons, enjoyed the right to mint its own currency. The Bernese monetary system was based primarily on the Thaler, a large silver coin that became the standard unit of account. In addition to the Thaler, Bern minted other denominations such as the Batzen, Kreuzer and Pfennig. Bernese coins usually bore the city's coat of arms, which showed a bear, the symbol of Bern since its foundation. The quality and purity of Bernese coins were recognized throughout Europe, which facilitated international trade and strengthened the canton's economic position.
Influence and numismatic legacy
Bernese coins played an important role in the monetary unification of Switzerland. As the Swiss Confederation consolidated, the need arose to standardize the monetary system. The Swiss Franc, introduced in 1850, was based in part on the Bernese monetary system. The old Bernese coins are now highly prized collector's items by numismatists all over the world. These coins not only represent a tangible testimony to Switzerland's economic history, but also reflect the country's political and social evolution. Bern's numismatic legacy remains a fascinating area of study, providing valuable insights into the formation of modern Switzerland and its financial system.
The most valuable and popular coins
The most valuable Bern coins and sought after by collectors according to Foronum statistics are the following:
The valuation of these coins list has been achieved through a meticulous algorithm that considers the current market, taking into account aspects such as material, weight, diameter, edge, year of mintage, mint of manufacture and the number of coins produced. Coins with limited mintages and in good condition are usually among the most valuable.
Old coins of Swiss cantons
To facilitate their classification, we have decided to organise the coins according to their historical period, you can consult the coins by historical numismatic categories of Swiss cantons.
Aargau Appenzell Basel Bern Beromuenster Chur Disentis Einsiedeln Fischingen Freiburg Geneva Glarus Graubunden Haldenstein Laufenburg Lausanne Luzern Muri Neuchatel Reichenau-Tamins Rheinau Saint Gallen Schaffhausen Schwyz Sitten Solothurn Thurgau Ticino Unterwalden Uri Vaud Zoefingen Zug ZurichCoin Catalog
Suiza-Cantones | 20 kreuzer
Suiza-Cantones | 2 rappen
Suiza-Cantones | 1 rappen
Suiza-Cantones | 5 rappen
Other resources to find coins and banknotes of Swiss cantons
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