Currencies/German kreuzer
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Introduction
The German Kreuzer was a coin and unit of currency used throughout southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland from the 13th century until the German Empire’s monetary unification (1871–1873). Its name comes from Kreuz (“cross”), referencing the cross that appeared on its earliest mintings. Over more than six centuries, the Kreuzer evolved from a silver trade coin to a copper small denomination widely used in everyday commerce.
History
The first Kreuzer was minted in 1271 in Merano (in present-day South Tyrol), featuring a double cross design that gave the coin its name. It quickly gained acceptance as a regional currency across the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1559, the Imperial Mint Ordinance (Reichsmünzordnung) formally set its value as
60 Kreuzer = 1 Gulden
This standard was later reaffirmed under the Convention standard (Konventionsfuß) of 1753, aligning the coinage of Austria and southern German states such as Bavaria, Württemberg, and Baden.
By the 19th century, the Kreuzer was struck mainly in copper, circulating as a small-value coin within the Austrian and southern German monetary systems. The denomination was finally withdrawn after the German Coinage Act of 1873, which introduced the Goldmark as the unified currency.
Coins
The Kreuzer existed in numerous forms reflecting the political diversity of the Holy Roman Empire and its successor states.
Typical characteristics
Metal Silver (earlier), later copper or bronze
Value 1⁄60 Gulden (standardized), occasionally varied by region
Diameter 15 – 22 mm
Obverse Bust or arms of the issuing ruler or state
Reverse Denomination “KREUZER” and year of minting
Notable examples
Austria (1816) 1 Kreuzer copper coin under Emperor Francis I.
Bavaria (1849) 3 Kreuzer silver piece with the portrait of King Maximilian II.
Baden (1859) 1 Kreuzer coin featuring the Grand Ducal arms.
These coins served as the foundation of small-value commerce, used for local trade, market purchases, and everyday wages.
Currency
The Kreuzer functioned as a base subdivision in the gulden system of southern Germany and Austria. Typical conversion standards included:
1 Gulden = 60 Kreuzer
1 Thaler ≈ 90 Kreuzer
Depending on region, each Kreuzer could further divide into 4 Pfennigs or 8 Hellers, maintaining continuity with medieval accounting traditions. This widespread structure helped create monetary stability across a politically fragmented empire.
Legacy
The Kreuzer is among Europe’s longest-lived coin denominations, symbolizing continuity in German and Austrian monetary history. Its consistent use from 1271 to 1873 demonstrates its economic importance as a bridge between medieval and modern coinage. Although abolished with the introduction of the Goldmark, the term Kreuzer remained part of everyday language, often used to signify a small sum of money—similar to the English “penny.”
Today, Kreuzer coins are highly regarded by numismatists for their rich diversity of designs, inscriptions, and historical context spanning six centuries of Central European trade.