Billon (alloy)

Billon (of mlt trillion. Zahlgut ) is an alloy of copper and silver, the silver content is less than 500/1000 (50 %). A Billonlegierung may also contain other base metals such as tin or zinc. Billon was used for small change and coins. You will recognize it on to silver slightly darker, redder appearance.

Conceptual history

The word Billon occurred in France in the 13th century for the first time and stood for bullion metal; a meaning which persists bullion in the English language in the word still in use today. In the 15th century, the term was transferred to little precious metal -containing compounds and coins.

History of Billonmünzen

Billonmünzen there since ancient times. While the first Billonmünzen the cities of the Greek island of Lesbos consisted of the 6th and early 5th century BC from a natural silver -copper alloy, most were Carthaginian, Persian, ptolemaischen, Roman, medieval and early modern a result of Münzverschlechterungen.

Frequently Billonmünzen were before their delivery from the Mint in a silver nitrate solution Weinstein " white boiled ", which they were coated with a thin layer of fine silver and so were given the appearance of a full silver coin. However, this was rubbed off after a short orbital period, so that a reddish copper shimmer remained. Another way to hide the bad silver content of the coin, was the pickling with a short Nachpolierung whereby copper values ​​from the coin surface were removed and this gave an initially bright silver shine.

Coins from Billonlegierungen were pronounced since the end of the Middle Ages in Germany and other countries of inflationary reasons, or for reasons of additional fundraising many Coin Lords for the smaller face value, what initially happened obscured. They prepared in the 16th and 17th centuries before the transition to the small change and were the primary means of payment of the poorer sections of society. In times of inflation, such as in the tipper and Wipperzeit 1620, smaller, former Kurantmünzen of silver by constant debasement were gradually Billonmünzen before then only consisted of copper.

Since the 17th century, small and coins were usually struck in billon, such as the Prussian silver dime from 1821 to 1873 or the Swiss 5 -, 10 - and 20 - centime pieces from 1850 to 1877.

The Billonmünze may not be with the similar-sounding bullion coin, the modern bullion coin value, confused.