TheKreuzer (German:[ˈkʁɔʏtsɐ]ⓘ), in English also spelledkreutzer[1] (/ˈkrɔɪtsər/KROYT-sər), was a coin and unit of currency in the southernGerman states prior to the introduction of theGerman gold mark in 1871–1873, and in Austria and Switzerland. After 1760 it was made of copper.[2] In south Germany the kreuzer was typically worth 4Pfennige and there were 60 Kreuzer to agulden.Kreuzer was abbreviated asKr,kr,K orXr.
The Kreuzer goes back to aGroschen coin minted inMerano inSouth Tyrol in 1271 (the so-calledetscher Kreuzer[3]). Because of the double cross (German:Kreuz) on the face of the coin, it was soon given the nameKreuzer. It spread in the 15th and 16th centuries throughout the south of the German-speaking area. The Imperial Coinage Act of 1551 made them the unit for small silver coins.
In 1559 a value of 60 Kreuzer to 1Gulden had been adopted throughout the southern states of theHoly Roman Empire, but the northern German states declined to join, and used theGroschen instead of the Kreuzer. The Kreuzer in turn was worth about 4.2Pfennige (pennies). Thus one (golden) gulden was worth 60 Kreuzer or 252 Pfennige. Later currencies adopted a standard relationship of 240 Pfennige = 60 Kreuzer = 1 Gulden.
Following the adoption of theConventionsthaler in 1754, two distinct Kreuzer came into being. The first, sometimes referred to as theConventionskreuzer, was worth1⁄120 of aConventionsthaler, valuing the Gulden at half aConventionsthaler. This was used inAustria-Hungary. However, the states of southern Germany adopted a smaller KreuzerLandmünze worth1⁄144 of aConventionsthaler, thus valuing the Gulden at5⁄12 of aConventionsthaler. In fact, the southern German states issued coins denominated in KreuzerLandmünze up to 6 KreuzerLandmünze (equal to 5Conventionskreuzer), but inConventionskreuzer for higher denominations.
The South German Currency Union of 1837 used a system of 60 Kreuzer = 1Gulden and1+3⁄4 Gulden = 1 Thaler, with the Kreuzer equal to the oldKreuzer Landmünze. These Kreuzer continued in circulation until decimalization following theunification of Germany in 1871.
Austria-Hungary decimalized in 1857, adopting a system of 100 Kreuzer = 1gulden/forint.1+1⁄2 florins = 1Vereinsthaler. The kreuzer was known askrajczár inHungarian (krajcár in modern orthography),krejcar inCzech,grajciar inSlovak,krajcar inSlovene andSerbocroatian,creițar orcrăițar inRomanian,grajcar inPolish.
The dictionary definition ofKreuzer at Wiktionary| International | |
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