SWITZERLAND. Bern. Stadt. 2 Dukaten 1600 (Gold, 27 mm, 6.96 g, 1 h). SIT:NOMEN:DNI+BENEDICTV Double eagle over coat of arms. Rev. :S•‡VINCEN - TIVS‡16:00 St. Vincent standing slightly to left, holding martyr's palm in his right hand and book in his left. Friedberg 95. HMZ 2-187b. Lohner 74. Very rare and unusually attractive. Very minor areas of weakness and small doubling on the reverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.



In 1600 and 1601, Bern issued gold coins that featured its old patron saint, St. Vincent, more than 70 years after the Reformation. This curious revival might have been driven by a desire to make the coins more recognizable for international transactions. At the time, the image of a standing figure was a well-established feature on ducats, making the design more familiar and accepted abroad.