Geneva legal basis: article 7 LCPPG
The Geneva law on the public pawn office provides that unredeemed pledges are sold at public auction. The sale is ordered by the president of the Civil Court, not by the office acting alone.
Two notices and an eight-day wait
Each CPPG sale is published twice in the Feuille d'avis officielle of the canton of Geneva. It may take place only eight days after the second notice, which still leaves a window in which to redeem the item.
Before the sale: notice and default charge
The CPPG charges CHF 15 for the notice-of-sale letter. One month after this notice, a default charge (droit moratoire) of 1% of the balance is added. To avoid this outcome, the term of a Swiss pawn loan can be extended against an instalment.
CPPG sale calendar
The Geneva office holds about three sales a year: 8 March, 24 May and 8 November 2025, then 14 March 2026. The next is set for 21 November 2026, with the lots on view on 17, 18 and 19 November.
Conditions imposed on buyers in Geneva
Under the conditions of sale of 23 November 2021, lots are knocked down strictly for cash, in Swiss francs and without guarantee. A 10% buyer's premium (échute) is added to the hammer price; disputes fall to the Geneva courts.
How the session runs and the bailiff's role
CPPG auctions are conducted aloud or by signals. Article 6 of the conditions allows the bailiff to refuse unknown bidders. In the same conditions, the word "OR" denotes 18-carat gold.
The Geneva surplus, claimable for five years
When the price exceeds the debt, including charges and interest, the surplus (boni) belongs to the former borrower. Article 8 LCPPG gives five years to claim it; after that period it passes to the office, as the Sales page confirms.
Zurich: reminder, publication and sale thirty days later
The 2021 general terms of the ZKB Pfandleihkasse provide for a written reminder one month after the due date, publication in the cantonal official gazette, then the sale thirty days after the due date. Renewal is impossible on the day of the sale or the day before.
Zurich reserve price and online sale
In Zurich, the reserve price equals the total debt; failing a sufficient bid, the item becomes the office's property. The next ZKB online sale runs from 9 to 16 November 2026 on E-Gant.
Zurich surplus and the Sozialamt
The right to the Mehrerlös, in other words the surplus, lapses in Zurich after five years. Unlike in Geneva, unclaimed sums do not stay with the office: they are paid to the Sozialamt of the City of Zurich.
Bern: formal notice, then auction without enforcement
Article 14e of the Bern HGV ordinance requires formal notice by registered letter with an eight-day deadline, then a single publication of the Pfandschein number. The pledge is then sold at public auction without prior debt enforcement.
Comparing with the French procedure
In France, the Crédit Municipal institutions follow their own calendar; auctions of pledged items in France covers that regime. To bid as a buyer, see buying at a public pawnshop auction; the Swiss context is set out under pawnbroking in Switzerland.
Sale organisers and applicable texts
- CPPG, page Ventes: Geneva auction calendar, viewing dates and a reminder of the five-year deadline for surpluses.
- Conditions de vente de la CPPG (2021): Geneva knock-down rules: cash payment in Swiss francs, 10% buyer's premium, no guarantee.
- Geschäftsbedingungen der Pfandleihkasse ZKB: Zurich terms of 2021: due date, reminder, sale, reserve price and lapse of the right to the surplus.
- Loi genevoise LCPPG (rsGE D 2 10): Articles 7 and 8 on the sale ordered by the Civil Court and the surplus claimable for five years.
From missed due date to payment of the surplus
- The due date passes with no repayment or extension; the office sends a reminder, then a notice of sale.
- The sale is officially announced: two notices in Geneva, the cantonal official gazette in Zurich, a single publication in Bern.
- Before the sale, the borrower can in principle redeem the item by paying capital, interest and charges; in Zurich, renewal is ruled out the day before.
- The lots are put on view, then knocked down to the highest bidder, in the saleroom in Geneva or online on E-Gant for Zurich.
- The office deducts the debt, interest and sale charges from the price obtained.
- The former borrower claims the surplus with the pawn ticket within the five-year period provided.
Charges linked to realising a pledge
| Charge | Amount | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Notice-of-sale letter | CHF 15 | CPPG Geneva |
| Default charge, one month after notice | 1% of the balance | CPPG Geneva |
| Sale charges borne by the depositor | 10% | CPPG Geneva |
| Buyer's premium paid by the purchaser | 10% of the hammer price | CPPG Geneva |
| Realisation costs | Chargeable only if there is a surplus | Authorised lenders in Bern (art. 14c HGV) |
Papers to claim a surplus or to bid
- Original pawn ticket, Versatzschein or Pfandschein
- Official identity document of the contract holder
- To bid in Geneva, cash payment in Swiss francs
- Identity document, as the bailiff may refuse unknown bidders
Mistakes to avoid at a Swiss pledge sale
- Believing the item is lost as soon as the due date passes: in Geneva, the sale happens only after two official notices and an eight-day wait.
- Trying to renew a Zurich contract on the day of the sale or the day before, which the ZKB general terms forbid.
- Leaving the surplus unclaimed for more than five years: it then goes to the CPPG in Geneva or to the Sozialamt in Zurich.
- Bidding in Geneva without cash, when the knock-down is settled strictly in cash, plus a 10% buyer's premium.
- Buying a lot on the assumption of a guarantee, when the CPPG sells without one and jurisdiction lies in Geneva.
Questions on Swiss pledge auctions
When is the next CPPG auction?
The CPPG announces its next sale for 21 November 2026, preceded by a viewing of the lots on 17, 18 and 19 November. The Geneva office generally holds three sales a year.
What happens to the money if my pledge sells for more than my debt?
The surplus, called boni in Geneva and Mehrerlös in Zurich, is yours. You have five years to claim it; after that, it passes to the CPPG or is paid to the Zurich Sozialamt.
How do you buy at ZKB auctions?
The Pfandleihkasse of the Zürcher Kantonalbank holds its sales online on the E-Gant platform. The next announced sale runs from 9 to 16 November 2026, after a written reminder and publication in the cantonal official gazette.
Can an item announced for sale still be recovered?
In principle yes, as long as the sale has not taken place, by paying capital, interest and charges. In Geneva, the eight days after the second notice allow for this; in Zurich, renewal is no longer possible the day before.
Official sources
Pfandleihkasse der Zürcher Kantonalbankzkb.ch
Canton de Berne : ordonnance HGVbe.lexwork.naz.ch
General information, up to date as of October 2026 and non-contractual: always check the terms with the Crédit Municipal or the institution concerned.