Basel's basic currency unit was the livre (later franc or frank), divided into 10 batzen or 40 kreuzer. It was worth 1⁄4th the French silver écu or 6.67 g fine silver.
The French écu was also equivalent to 4 Franken of the Helvetic Republic, and afterwards to 4 Basel franken.
Coins
The first Thalers were issued between 1542 and 1552 by the city of Basel, together with 1⁄2 Thaler between 1542 and 1548. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the canton issued 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 and 2 Thaler coins, with 1⁄3 Thaler only struck between 1764 and 1766. In the late 18th century, the canton issued billon coins for 1⁄2, 1 and 3 Batzen, silver pieces of 1⁄6, 1⁄3, 1⁄2 and 1 Thaler, and gold Duplone and 1 and 2 Gulden.
The Bistum (Bishopric) issued silver Thaler for the first time in 1596. Bishop Wilhelm Rinck von Baldenstein (1608–1628) issued 1⁄4 Thaler in 1623, 1⁄2 Thaler in 1625 and 1 Thaler in 1624 and 1625. Bishop Johann Konrad II (1705–1737) issued 1⁄4 Thaler in 1717 and 1 Thaler in 1716. These were the last Thaler-denominated coins issued by the Bishopric of Basel. However, the Bishopric continued to issue billon coins, in denominations of 1⁄2 and 1 Batzen, and silver coins for 12 and 24 Kreuzer (3 and 6 Batzen).
