Batzen
The Batzen is a historical silver coin that played a central role in numismatics in southern Germany and Switzerland in the late Middle Ages and early modern period. The Batzen originated in Bern around 1492, where it was first minted as a larger silver coin weighing around 7 to 8 grams and worth four Kreuzers. The name ‘Batzen’ is thought to derive from the image of a bear – the heraldic animal of the city of Bern – which appeared on the first editions of this coin.
During the 16th century, the Batzen quickly spread to numerous imperial cities in southern Germany, parts of Austria, Alsace and, above all, Switzerland. The widespread use of the Batzen made it one of the most important accounting and trading coins of its time. Its value varied slightly from region to region, but was usually between four and six Kreuzers. Due
to its high practical value for everyday trade, the Batzen was particularly valued as an intermediate denomination between smaller Pfennigs and larger Talers.
In the 17th century, rising inflation and inconsistent minting quality in many areas led to the Batzen losing prestige and being increasingly replaced by other types of coins. Nevertheless, it remained an integral part of the Swiss coinage system until the 19th century. In the canton of Bern, for example, the batzen was an official currency until the introduction of the Swiss franc in 1850. From a numismatic point of view, the batzen is now a fascinating collector’s item. It symbolises the economic developments of the late Middle Ages and early modern period and provides an insight into the regional differences in coinage systems within the Holy Roman Empire.
For coin collectors, the batzen offers a wide variety of minting locations, dates and images, ranging from coats of arms and saints to portraits of rulers. As an important testimony to early monetary diversity and regional coinage, the batzen occupies an important place in the history of money and remains a central theme in numismatics.