Bern (1816) 40 batzen KM-182

Sincona sale 98, lot 4149

This specimen was lot 4149 in SINCONA Auction 98 (Zürich, May 2025), where it sold for 575 CHF (about US$834 including buyers' fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"SCHWEIZ Bern, Stadt und Kanton, Französischer Taler mit Berner Gegenstempel zu 40 Batzen o. J. (1816-1819), Louis XVI. Ecu 1792 A, Paris. Sehr schön. (Switzerland, city and canton of Bern, French écu with Bernese counterstamp of forty batzen, circa 1816-19. Bern mint. Very Fine.)"

In 1816, facing a coin shortage, the cantonal government counterstamped approximately 660,000 crowns (mostly French écus) for circulation as forty batzen pieces. After confederation in 1848, they were called in and melted; the SCWC estimates about 5,000 survive. This specimen began life as a 1792-A écu constitutionnel. Counterstamps are known on all the major types of écus of Louis XV and XVI.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specifications: 29.49 g, 0.917 fine silver (host coin), this specimen 29.45 g.

Catalog reference: KM 149, D.T. 32, HMZ 2-231b.

Sources:

• Divo, Jean-Paul, and Edwin Tobler, Die Münzen der Schweiz, im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, Zurich: Bank Leu & Co AG, 1969.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Richter, Jürg, and Ruedi Kunzmann, Neuer HMZ-Katalog, Band 2: Die Münzen der Schweiz und Liechtensteins 15//16. Jahrhundert bis Gegenwart, Regenstauf, Germany: H. Gietl Verlag GmbH, 2006.
• ^[1]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 98: The Konrad Bürki Collection - Part 3 (Swiss Cantonal Coins), Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2025.

Link to:

• 1792-A écu constitutionnel
• (1816) 40 batzen counterstamped on a French écu of Louis XV
• (1816) 40 batzen counterstamped on a French écu of Louis XVI
• 1818 batzen
• 1818 5 batzen
• 1819 duplone
• 1823 4 franken
• Coins and currency dated 1816