The Swiss Franc

Switzerland is a confederation of 23 cantons or states in western Europe, bordered by France, Germany, Italy and Austria. It has four official languages French, German, Italian and Romansch, a Latin dialect spoken by about 1% of its population. It includes large parts of the Alps, and for much of its history has been split into small isolated communities under local rule. Before the Romans invaded in 58 B.C., it was populated by the Helvetians, a Celtic people. After Roman influence declined it was invaded by German Teutonic tribes, and later became part of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1291, the three cantons of Schwyz, Uri and Nidwalden joined forces to overcome the Austrians and formed the Swiss Confederation. New cantons joined during the fourteenth century, and in 1648 the Holy Roman Empire recognised Switzerland as independent at the Treaty of Westphalia. Napoleon invaded Switzerland to set up the Helvetian Republic which lasted from 1798 to 1803. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 further recognised Switzerland’s independence and guaranteed its neutrality. Constitutions of 1848 and 1874 were modelled on that of the United States of America.

Switzerland is famous for the gold stored in its banks. Its best known gold coin is the 20 franc which was issued from 1886 to 1949. Ten franc coins were also issued from 1911 to 1922, although these are not seen as frequently as the twenty francs. Gold coins of other denominations have also been issued, but mainly for presentation purposes rather than for circulation. The mintage is very low for these other issues, and they are rarely seen.

The Swiss 20 Franc Gold Coin, also known as the Swiss 20 Franc Vreneli is undoubtedly one of the world’s most beautiful gold coins. The Swiss gold coin most commonly known as the Swiss 20 Franc displays the profile of a Swiss woman, more commonly known as Vreneli, with braided hair, wearing flowers and facing left. Above her head are the words “Helvetia”, another common name for this particular coin. The opposite side of the coin displays the familiar Swiss shield over an oak branch that has been tied with ribbons and includes the denomination and the date.

The Swiss 20 Franc Gold coin was minted in Bern and consists of 90% gold. Altogether, the coins were struck from 1897 to 1949, but not in every year. These lovely coins are an excellent choice for coin collectors and gold bullion investors alike, and remain a high value for the price.

Specifications

20 Francs
Diameter: 21mm
Weight: 6.4516
Fineness: .900
Gold content: 0.1867 oz. Pure Gold