SWITZERLAND. Neuenburg/Neuchâtel. Alexandre Berthier, Prince de Neuchâtel, 1806-1814. Batzen 1808 (Billon, 24 mm, 3.13 g, 6 h). ALEXANDRE PR: – & DUC DE NEUCHAT•L Crowned and combined coat of arms of Neuchâtel and French eagle on top, surrounded by the Order of the Legion of Honour. Rev. PRINCIPAUTE – DE NEUCHATEL / 1808 Value UN / BATZ within laurel and oak wreath, countermarks 'I•A•I / I•A•I' below. Divo/Tobler 255b (for host coin). Friedrich (Kontermarkenwesen) -. Froidevaux V432 (for host coin). HMZ 2-722e (for host coin). Zimmermann -. Apparently unpublished with these countermarks, and of great numismatic interest. Beautifully toned. Host coin fine, countermark good very fine.


Although countermarks are known on coins from Neuchâtel, some dating back as far as the 17th century (Froidevaux V96), the meaning of the enigmatic ‘I•A•I / I•A•I’ countermarks on the present piece remains unclear.

The coin’s old, smooth, and remarkably even toning, which extends across both the original surfaces and the countermarks, suggests that they were applied relatively soon after the coin was struck. A date in the turbulent monetary years following 1810 seems particularly plausible, when the bewildering variety of currencies in circulation prompted, among other measures, the countermarking of the numerous French écus entering Switzerland by the authorities of Bern and Vaud.

The present piece joins a small but intriguing group of Neuchâtel issues bearing as yet unexplained countermarks (cf. Leu Web Auction 41, 15 December 2025, 3137), providing further evidence of the monetary uncertainty that characterized this period.