Sitten Coin List

The town of Sitten (Sion in French) in the Swiss canton of Valais has a rich numismatic history dating back to the Middle Ages. As an episcopal see since the 6th century, Sitten played an important role in the minting of coins in the region, reflecting the political and economic changes over the centuries.

The bishopric of Sitten and its medieval coinage

During the Middle Ages, the bishops of Sitten had the right to mint coins, a privilege granted by the Holy Roman Empire. The earliest Sitten coins date from the 11th century and were mainly silver denarii. These pieces usually bore religious inscriptions and symbols of the bishopric, such as the effigy of St. Theodulus, patron saint of the diocese. The quality and weight of these coins varied according to the economic and political circumstances of the time, reflecting the complex relationship between ecclesiastical and secular power in the region.

Transition to the modern era and the Swiss Confederation

With the advent of the modern era, coinage in Sitten underwent significant changes. As the power of the bishops diminished and the influence of the Helvetic Confederation increased, coins began to reflect a more secular and confederate identity. In the 16th century, Sitten began minting silver thalers, following the trend of other Swiss towns. These higher denomination coins often featured the coat of arms of the town or the canton of Valais, along with Latin inscriptions referring to the Confederation. Coin production in Sitten continued until the 19th century, when the centralization of the Swiss monetary system led to the creation of the Swiss franc as the unified national currency.

The most valuable and popular coins

The most valuable Sitten 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.

Coin Catalog

Other resources to find coins and banknotes of Swiss cantons

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