CNG 91, Lot: 1438. Estimate $300. Sold for $300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SWITZERLAND, Kantone. Graubünden (Grisons). AR Five Batzen (26mm, 4.67 g, 6h). Dated 1820. GRAUBUNDEN KANTON (rosette), coats-of-arms of the Freistaat der Drei Bünde (Three Leagues): the Gotteshausbund (League of God’s House), between the Grauer Bund (Grey League) and the Zehngerichtenbund (League of the Ten Jurisdictions); all within garlanded oval escutcheons and supported by two hands lifting from above; below, 1820 (date) above two palm fronds / V./SCHWEIZER/BATZEN in three lines; all within oak an laurel wreath. Corragioni -; HMZ, Schweiz 2-604b; Divo & Tobler 179b; Schweiz I, 709. Superb EF, toned.

A region which had numerous confederations, the canton of Graubünden was formed in 1471, following the unification of three large leagues: God’s House, Grey, and Ten Jurisdictions. Graubünden’s coat-of-arms is reflective of this history, combining elements of all three leagues, namely the capricorn, wildman, and grey shield. The largest and eastern-most of Switzerland’s cantons, Graubünden comprises of what was once the Roman province of Raetia. Indicative of this connection to the Roman empire, the Romansh language, a descendant of Vulgar Latin, is spoken more widely there than in any other canton.