Aargau Kreuzer

The Aargau Kreuzer often featured a bear on its reverse, symbolizing the canton's ancient heraldic emblem and making it stand out among Swiss cantonal issues.

This copper coin, minted from 1800 to 1848, came in denominations like 1, 2, or 4 kreuzer, with weights varying slightly due to local minting practices. Struck in Aarau or nearby towns, it reflected Aargau's brief autonomy before federal standardization. The design was simple: the obverse bore the canton's name and date, while the bear prowled on the other side. Quality control was hit or miss; some pieces show uneven strikes from worn dies.

Exact mintage figures are murky—records from the 1820s might have burned in a warehouse fire, so we rely on estimates from surviving examples. As for myths, I've heard tales of these coins funding Swiss neutrality, but that's just romantic nonsense; they were everyday money for markets and taxes.

Some collectors quip that the bear looks more puzzled than fierce, as if wondering why it ended up on a coin instead of in the Alps.