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20 francs
20 CHF Vreneli 1897
Coin from 1897.
General information
Country

Flag of Switzerland Switzerland

Years
  • 18831949
  • 1991–present
Measurements and composition
Mass
Click to
  • 6.45 g (1883-1949)
  • 20 g (1991-present)
Diameter
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  • 21 mm (1883-1949)
  • 32.8 mm (1991-present)
Thickness
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  • 1.25 mm (1883-1949)
  • 2.8 mm (1991-present)
Composition
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  • Gold (1883-1949)
  • Silver (1991-present)
Appearance
Shape

round

Alignment
  • coin (1883-1949)
  • medallic (1991-present)
Obverse
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  • Helvetia (1883-1949)
  • Various (1991-present)
Reverse
Click to
v · d · e

The 20 franc coin was first issued in Switzerland in 1883 as a general-issue coin. The production of these general-issue coins eventually ceased in 1949. In 1991, commemorative 20 franc coins were introduced, and have been minted annually since.

History[]

General-issue coins[]

20 CHF 1890 131415

A coin from 1890.

Initially, the 20 franc coin was to be used by the countries affiliated with the Latin Monetary Union. In 1883, the first coins were minted using .900 fine gold. Due to its composition and diameter of 21 millimeters, the coin was rather bulky, weighing about 6.452 grams. It displayed Helvetia, the national personification of Switzerland, on the obverse with the lettering, "CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA" around the circumference of the coin. The reverse depicted the coat of arms of Switzerland which separated the value. Above the arms was a five-pointed star and below was the year of minting. All of these depictions were surrounded by a wreath. The coin's edge was either reeded or inscribed with Latin text reading, "DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT" ("the lord will provide").

In 1897, a new version of the 20 franc coin was introduced. It retained the original composition, weight, and size of its predecessor, but it's design was altered. Depicted on the obverse was a different portrait of Helvetia with mountains in the background and "HELVETIA" inscribed above. On the reverse was a larger coat of arms and oak branches along with the value, which was divided by the depictions. These new "Vreneli" coins were used until 1949.

Commemorative coins[]

Main article: Swiss 20 franc coin/Commemorative coins

Since 1991, Swissmint has produced commemorative .835 fine silver 20 franc coins annually. Most had a diameter of 33 millimeters and a mass of 20 grams. The only different commemorative coin was a shooting thaler from 1999, which commemorated the shooting festival in Zürich.

Image
General information
Designs
Switzerland 20 francs 1991 Year: 1991
Subject: 700 Years of the Swiss Confederation
Designer: Ernst Hiestand
Mintage: 2,540,000
Obverse: Swiss crosses, year, "1291"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1992 Year: 1992
Subject: Gertrud Kurz
Designer: Rosmarie Tissi
Mintage: 361,000
Obverse: Barbed wire, "1890-1972", "Gertrud Kurz"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1993 Year: 1993
Subject: Paracelsus
Designer: Heinz Jost
Mintage: 290,000
Obverse: Paracelsus, "1493–1541"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1994 Year: 1994
Subject: Devil's Bridge
Designer: Peter Emch
Mintage: 272,000
Obverse: The devil
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1995 Year: 1995
Subject: Snakequeen of the Grisons
Designer: Peter Emch
Mintage: 265,700
Obverse: Snakequeen of the Grisons
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1996a Year: 1996
Subject: Giant Gargantua
Designer: Peter Emch
Mintage: 236,000
Obverse: Gargantua
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1996b Year: 1996
Subject: Dragon of Breno
Designer: Peter Emch
Mintage: 216,700
Obverse: Dragon by mountain
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1997a Year: 1997
Subject: Swiss trains
Designer: Georg Staehelin
Mintage: 234,000
Obverse: Wheel, "1847"
Reverse: Wheel, value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1997b Year: 1997
Subject: Jeremias Gotthelf
Designer: Samuel Buri
Mintage: 180,000
Obverse: Jeremias Gotthelf, "1797–1854"
Reverse: Value
Switzerland 20 francs 1998a Year: 1998
Subject: 200th anniversary of the Helvetic Republic.
Designer: Werner Jeker
Mintage: 123,500
Obverse: Helvetic coin, "1798-1998"
Reverse: Value, year, "Helvetia"
Switzerland 20 francs 1998b Year: 1998
Subject: 150th anniversary of the Swiss Federal Constitution
Designer: Werner Jeker
Mintage: 124,500
Obverse: Old Swiss coin, "1848–1998"
Reverse: Value, year, "Helvetia"
Switzerland 20 francs 1998c Year: 1998
Subject: Conrad Ferdinand Meyer
Designer: Jean Lecoultre
Mintage: 122,500
Obverse: Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, signature, "1825–1898"
Reverse: Value, year, "Helvetia"
Switzerland 20 francs 1999a Year: 1999
Subject: 150 years of the Swiss Post
Designer: Claude Sandoz
Mintage: 183,000
Obverse: Person holding a letter "1849–1999"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 1999b Year: 1999
Subject: Battle of Dornach
Designer: Franz Eggenschwiler
Mintage: 96,000
Obverse: Sword splitting an eagle, "1499–1999", "Dornach"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Year: 1999
Subject: Shooting Festival in Zürich
Designer:
Mintage: 10,000
Obverse:
Reverse:
Switzerland 20 francs 2000a Year: 2000
Subject: 2000 Years of Christianity
Designer: Roman Candio
Mintage: 115,000
Obverse: Angel floating above people, "Pax in Terra"
Reverse: Olive branch, value, year, "Helvetia"
Switzerland 20 francs 2000b Year: 2000
Subject: 2000 Years of Christianity
Designer: Roman Candio
Mintage: 99,000
Obverse: Jesus preaching, "Lumen Christio"
Reverse: Value, year, "Helvetia", "Et Lux in Tenebris Lucet"
Switzerland 20 francs 2001a Year: 2001
Subject: Müstair Monastery
Designer: Hans-Peter von Ah
Mintage: 115,000
Obverse: Müstair Monastery, "Claustra da Müstair"
Reverse: Floor plans of the monastery, value, year, "Helvetia"
Switzerland 20 francs 2001b Year: 2001
Subject: Johanna Spyri
Designer: Sylvia Goeschke
Mintage: 95,000
Obverse: Johanna Spyri, "1827–1901"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2002a Year: 2002
Subject: Expo.02
Designer: Hervé Graumann
Mintage: 71,100
Obverse: Child at water's edge
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2002b Year: 2002
Subject: Rega
Designer: Raphael Schenker
Mintage: 62,000
Obverse: Rescue helicopter, "1952-2002, REGA"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA", Swiss cross all above a propeller
Switzerland 20 francs 2002c Year: 2002
Subject: St. Gallen Monastery
Designer: Hans-Peter von Ah
Mintage: 56,500
Obverse: Monastery, "Kloster St. Gallen"
Reverse: Saint Gall and bear cub, value, year, "Helvetia"
Switzerland 20 francs 2003a Year: 2003
Subject: FIS Ski Championships in St. Moritz
Designer: Claude Kuhn
Mintage: 62,000
Obverse: Skier in snowstorm
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA" in snowstorm
Switzerland 20 francs 2003b Year: 2003
Subject: Bern
Designer: Franz Fedier
Mintage: 56,000
Obverse: Berner Altstadt
Reverse: Clock tower and buildings, value, year, "Helvetia"
Switzerland 20 francs 2004a Year: 2004
Subject: Chillon Castle
Designer: Jean-Benoît Lévy
Mintage: 56,000
Obverse: Chillon Castle
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2004b Year: 2004
Subject: FIFA centennial
Designer: Joaquin Jimenez
Mintage: 14,055
Obverse: Flowers in the center of a cross
Reverse: Soccer ball, value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2004c Year: 2004
Subject: Three Castles of Bellinzona
Designer: Marco Prati
Mintage: 56,000
Obverse: Three Castles of Bellinzona
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2005a Year: 2005
Subject: 100th anniversary of the Geneva Motor Show
Designer: Roger Pfund
Mintage: 51,000
Obverse: Partial view of a prototype car
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2005b Year: 2005
Subject: Chapel Bridge
Designer: Hans-Peter von Ah
Mintage: 51,000
Obverse: Chapel Bridge, "Kapellbrücke Luzern"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2006a Year: 2006
Subject: 100 years of the postbus
Designer: Raphael Schenker
Mintage: 46,000
Obverse: 1906 postbus, "1906–2006"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2006b Year: 2006
Subject: Federal Palace
Designer: Benjamin Pfäffli
Mintage: 41,000
Obverse: Federal Palace
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2007a Year: 2007
Subject: 100 years of the Swiss National Bank
Designer: Roger Pfund
Mintage: 52,747
Obverse: Arthur Honegger, "SNB BNS 1907-2007"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2007b Year: 2007
Subject: Munot
Designer: Hansueli Holzer
Mintage: 45,000
Obverse: Munot
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2008a Year: 2008
Subject: Ice hockey centenary
Designer: Roland Hirter
Mintage: 51,000
Obverse: Two hockey players, "Ice Hockey 1908-2008"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2008b Year: 2008
Subject: Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn
Designer: Benno K. Zehnder
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Locomotives
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2009a Year: 2009
Subject: Swiss Museum of Transport
Designer: Werner Meier
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Transport vehicles
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2009b Year: 2009
Subject: Brienz Rothorn Bahn
Designer: Benno K. Zehnder
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Locomotive and rail car
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2010a Year: 2010
Subject: 100 years of the Bernina Railway
Designer: Benno K. Zehnder
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Train on viaduct
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2010b Year: 2010
Subject: Centenary of Henry Dunant's death
Designer: Pierre-Alain Zuber
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Henry Dunant, Swiss flag, "Henry Dunant 1828-1910"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2011 Year: 2011
Subject: 100th anniversary of Max Frisch's birthday
Designer: Daniel Frank
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Max Frisch
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2011b Year: 2011
Subject: Pilatus Railway
Designer: Benno K. Zehnder
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Locomotive
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2012a Year: 2012
Subject: 100th anniversary of the Jungfraubahn
Designer: Benno K. Zehnder
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Jungfraubahn, year
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2012b Year: 2012
Subject: Globi
Designer: Robert Lips
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Globi holding cake, "Globi"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"
Switzerland 20 francs 2013 transalpine flight Year: 2013
Subject: 100th anniversary of the first transalpine flight
Designer: Angelo Boog
Mintage: 57,000
Obverse: Blériot XI plane flying over the Alps, Oskar Bider's signature, "ERSTE ALPENÜBERQUERUNG", "+1913"
Reverse: Value, year, "CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA"

References[]

 v · d · e
Swiss franc
Banknotes 5 CHF10 CHF20 CHF40 CHF50 CHF100 CHF200 CHF500 CHF1000 CHF
Coins 1 rappen (HR) • 2 rappen5 rappen10 rappen20 rappen½ batzen1 batzen5 batzen10 batzen20 batzen½ CHF1 CHF2 CHF40 batzen4 CHF5 CHF10 CHF16 CHF20 CHF25 CHF32 CHF50 CHF100 CHF200 CHF250 CHF500 CHF1000 CHF

110 unze¼ unze½ unze1 unze5 unze12 unze₠1₠51 ceros2 ceros5 ceros10 ceros20 ceros50 ceros1 europ2 europ5 europ1 silbertaler20 rond

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