Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850, Coin from Switzerland - detailed information

Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850, Coin from Switzerland (demonetised 1886)
CoinTen Centimes (Rappen) 1850

The Ten Centimes coin is currently the second smallest circulating denomination of the Swiss Franc after the Five Centimes (One Centime and Two Centimes denominations were demonetised in 2007 and 1978 respectively). Given that Switzerland has four official languages, the sub-unit of the Franc has four different names; it is centime (c.) in French, Rappen (Rp.) in German, centesimo (ct.) in Italian and rap (rp.) in Romansh. Some English-language catalogues call the coin a 10 Rappen coin, but the English-language publications of the Swiss National Bank and Swissmint prefer the term 10 centimes.

This first version of the 10 centimes / rappen coin was designed by Carl Friedrich Voigt of the Munich Mint (then Royal Bavarian Mint). On the obverse it featured the Swiss Coat of Arms (a rendering quite different from that on the One Centime and Two Centimes denominations released at the same time but designed by Alexander Hutter), on two oak branches. The reverse shows the value (only a numeral, no text) within a wreath of oak branches. This original reverse has remained unchanged and is still used on current coins.

In 1879, the obverse was changed to a design by Karl Schwenzer featuring the effigy of Libertas. The metal was changed to copper-nickel and the coin became slightly heavier (3 grams). The second version is still current, and the earliest of these coins are the oldest in the world legal tender still circulating.

This version was lighter (2.5 grams) and made of billon (an alloy with a very low quantity of silver), the composition of which varied through the years: 10% silver, 55% copper, 25% zinc, 10% nickel (1850, 1851), 5% silver, 85% copper, 5% zinc, 5% nickel (1871 - 1873), 10% silver, 65% copper, 15% zinc, 10% nickel (1875, 1876). For the first two years of its existence, the denomination was struck by the Strasbourg Mint (at that time a branch of the Paris Mint); thereafter it has been issued by the Bern Mint (now Swissmint).

The first version was issued until 1876 and was demonetised on 30th June 1886; thus, coins issued in 1850 circulated for 36 years.

MintStrasbourg Mint Mint MarkLetters BB Total Mintage 8,780,000 (8.8 million)
Obverse
Switzerland / Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850 - obverse photo

The obverse features the Swiss Coat of Arms (a rendering quite different from that on the One Centime and Two Centimes denominations released at the same time but designed by Alexander Hutter), on two oak branches. Around above is the legend HELVETIA. Around below, the date: 1850.

There are two privy marks; to the left of the shield, a bee, the privy mark of baron Alfred Renouard de Bussière - director (mint master) of the Strasbourg Mint; to the right, a greyhound head looking right, privy mark of Jean-Jacques Barre, the chief engraver of the Paris Mint.

Obverse Inscription HELVETIA 1850
Reverse
Switzerland / Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850 - reverse photo

The reverse shows the value 10 (only a numeral, no text) within a wreath of oak branches. This original reverse has remained unchanged since 1850 to present.

The mint mark BB in ligature (one letter over the other) of the Strasbourg Mint is under the ribbon tying the wreath.

Reverse Inscription 10
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

Krause catalogues list mintage of 8,780,000 for 1850 and 4,530,000 for 1851. However, Swissmint only lists combined mintage of 13,317,000 with a note that the two issues were "roughly the same" (note: the sum of Krause figures does not match the Swissmint figure).

Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Swissmint 2017 Mint link
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins Mintage
Showing 100 from a total of 134 coins of type: Ten Centimes (Rappen)
Coin NameMintageSymbolLegend
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850 8,780,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1850
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1851 4,530,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1851
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1871 844,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1871
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1873 1,398,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1873
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1875 174,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1875
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1876 1,962,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1876
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1879 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1879
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1880 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1880
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1881 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1881
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1882 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1882
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1883 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1883
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1884 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1884
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1885 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1885
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1894 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1894
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1895 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1895
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1896 16 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1896
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1897 500,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1897
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1898 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1898
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1899 500,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1899
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1900 1,500,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1900
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1901 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1901
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1902 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1902
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1903 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1903
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1904 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1904
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1906 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1906
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1907 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1907
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1908 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1908
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1909 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1909
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1911 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1911
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1912 1,500,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1912
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1913 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1913
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1914 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1914
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1915 1,200,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1915
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1918 6,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1918
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1919 6,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1919
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1920 3,500,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1920
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1921 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1921
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1922 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1922
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1924 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1924
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1925 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1925
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1926 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1926
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1927 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1927
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1928 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1928
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1929 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1929
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1930 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1930
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1931 2,244,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1931
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1932 3,500,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1932
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1933 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1933
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1934 3,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1934
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1936 1,500,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1936
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1937 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1937
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1938 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1938
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1939 10,022,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1939
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1940 2,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1940
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1942 2,110,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1942
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1943 3,176,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1943
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1944 6,133,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1944
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1945 993,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1945
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1946 4,010,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1946
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1947 3,152,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1947
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1948 1,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1948
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1949 2,269,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1949
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1950 3,200,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1950
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1951 3,430,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1951
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1952 4,451,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1952
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1953 6,149,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1953
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1954 3,200,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1954
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1955 11,795,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1955
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1957 10,092,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1957
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1958 10,040,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1958
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1959 13,053,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1959
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1960 4,040,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1960
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1961 7,949,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1961
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1962 34,965,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1962
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1964 16,340,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1964
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1965 14,190,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1965
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1966 4,025,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1966
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1967 10,000,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1967
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1968 14,065,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1968
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1969 28,855,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1969
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1970 40,020,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1970
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1972 7,877,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1972
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1973 30,350,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1973
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1974 30,007,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1974
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1975 25,002,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1975
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1976 19,012,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1976
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1977 10,007,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1977
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1978 19,957,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1978
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1979 18,010,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1979
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1980 18,015,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1980
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1981 30,150,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1981
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1982 50,120,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1982
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1983 40,044,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1983
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1984 22,036,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1984
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1985 3,044,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1985
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1986 2,324,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1986
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1987 5,028,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1987
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1988 5,029,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1988
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1989 41,031,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1989
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1990 40,032,000 Libertas by Karl Schwenzer · CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA · 1990
Showing 1 to 100 of 134 Coins.
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Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850: Details
CountrySwitzerland
CurrencySwiss Franc
Coin TypeTen Centimes (Rappen), Billon
Issued1850
SymbolCoat of Arms of Switzerland
Face Value10 (x Centime)
Total Mintage8,780,000 (8.8 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1886
MaterialBillon
DesignerCarl Friedrich Voigt
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size19.1500 mm
Thickness1.4500 mm
Mass2.5000 g
OCC IDWMRA-EQPC-XRBA-OYPL
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Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850: Photos
ImageDetails
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850: Photo Coin, Switzerland, 10 Rappen 1850 / thumbnail Coin, Switzerland, 10 Rappen 1850
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Source
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850: Photo Coin, Switzerland, 10 Rappen 1850 / thumbnail Coin, Switzerland, 10 Rappen 1850
Copyright: NumisCorner.com
Source
Ten Centimes (Rappen) 1850: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Schön, WeltmünzkatalogSchweiz Schön# 18
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsSwitzerland KM# 6