(sold for $132.0)

1847, Switzerland, Geneva (Canton). Silver 25 Centimes Coin. Top Pop! PCGS MS62!

Mint Year: 1847 Reference:   KM-135. Denomination: 25 Centimes Mint Place: Geneva (Swiss Canton & Republic) Condition: Certified and graded by PCGS as MS-62! Material: Billon Silver (silver of low purity!)

Obverse: Illuminated IHS initials within circle above large halved shield with arms of Geneva (Crowned Eagle / Key). Legend: . POST . TENE BRAS . LUX . / A.-B.

Reverse: Value (25), denomination (CENTIMES) and date (1847) within inner circle. Legend: * REPUBLIQUE ET CANTON DE GENEVE

In the Latin-speaking Christianity of medieval   Western Europe (and so among Catholics and many Protestants today), the   most common Christogram is "IHS" or "IHC", denoting the first three   letters of the Greek name of Jesus, iota-eta-sigma, or ΙΗΣ. The Greek letter iota is represented by I, and the eta by H, while the Greek letter sigma is either in its lunate form, represented by C, or its final form, represented by S.   Because the Latin-alphabet letters I and J were not systematically   distinguished until the 17th century, "JHS" and "JHC" are equivalent to   "IHS" and "IHC".

From   the beginning the bishopric of Geneva was a suffragan of the   archbishopric of Vienne. The bishops of Geneva had the status of prince   of the Holy Roman Empire since 1154, but had to maintain a long struggle   for their independence against the guardians (advocati) of the   see, the counts of Geneva and later the counts of the House of Savoy.   In 1290 the latter obtained the right of installing the vice-dominus of   the diocese, the title of Vidame of Geneva was granted to the counts of   the House of Candia under count François de Candie of Chambery-Le-Vieux    a Chatellaine of the Savoy, this official exercised minor jurisdiction    in the town in the bishop's. In 1387 Bishop Adhémar Fabry granted the    town its great charter, the basis of its communal self-government,    which every bishop on his accession was expected to confirm. When the    line of the counts of Geneva became extinct in 1394, and the House of    Savoy came into possession of their territory, assuming after 1416 the    title of Duke, the new dynasty sought by every means to bring the city    of Geneva under their power, particularly by elevating members of their    own family to the episcopal see. The city protected itself by union    with the Swiss Federation (German: Eidgenossenschaft), uniting itself in 1526 with Berne and Fribourg.

The Protestant Reformation affected Geneva. While   Bern favoured the introduction of the new teaching and demanded liberty   of preaching for the Reformers Guillaume Farel and Antoine Froment,   Catholic Fribourg renounced in 1511 its allegiance with Geneva. In 1532   the Roman  Catholic bishop of the city was obliged to leave his   residence, never  to return. In 1536, the Genevans declared themselves   Protestant and  proclaimed their city a republic. The Protestant leader   John Calvin was based in Geneva from 1536 to his death in 1564 (save for   an exile  from 1538 to 1541) and became the spiritual leader of the   city. Geneva  became a centre of Protestant activity, producing works   such as the Genevan Psalter,  though there were often tensions between   Calvin and the city's civil  authorities. Though the city proper   remained a Protestant stronghold  under St. Francis de Sales, a large   part of the historic diocese returned to Catholicism in the early   seventeenth century.

During the French Revolution (1789-1799),   aristocratic and democratic factions contended for control of Geneva. In   1798, however, France, then under the Directory, annexed Geneva and its   surrounding territory.

In 1802 the diocese was united with that of Chambéry.   At the Congress of Vienna of 1814-15, the territory of Geneva was   extended to cover 15 Savoyard  and six French parishes, with more than   16,000 Catholics; at the same  time it was admitted to the Swiss   Confederation.

Only 1$ shipping for each additional coin purchased!