Coins of the Swiss franc

History

The country's name is on all the coins as "Confoederatio Helvetica", the Latin name of the Swiss Confederation, or "Helvetia" specified. The oldest coins are still valid today; the 10-centime coins dating back to 1879. They are therefore among the oldest still valid coins worldwide. To date, they have the same design and the same alloy (copper, nickel). Until 1967, the circulating coins with face values of 1/2 franc to 5 francs were of silver alloy. These were withdrawn because the price of silver alloy exceeded the face value.

Circulation

Since 2004, moreover, the existing pure nickel 20-centime coins of the years 1881-1938 have been withdrawn from circulation because machines can not detect them. Today, all the coins except the 5-centime coin (aluminum bronze) are in copper nickel alloy.

7 coins are currently in circulation:

Image	Value	Diameter	Thickness	Mass	Composition	Edge	Obverse	Reverse
5 Swiss cents 1995	5 cents	17.15 mm	1.25 mm	1.8 g	92% Cu, 6% Al, 2% Ni	Plain	Libertas head (often misinterpreted as Helvetia)	Value
10 Swiss cents 1995	10 cents	19.15 mm	1.45 mm	3 g	75 % Cu, 25 % Ni	Plain	Libertas head (often misinterpreted as Helvetia)	Value
20 Swiss cents 1995	20 cents	21.05 mm	1.65 mm	4 g	75 % Cu, 25 % Ni	Plain	Libertas head (often misinterpreted as Helvetia)	Value
50 Swiss cents 1995	50 cents	18.20 mm	1.25 mm	2.2 g	75 % Cu, 25 % Ni	Milled	Standing Helvetia	Value
1 Swiss franc 1995	1 Franc	23.20 mm	1.55 mm	4.4 g	75 % Cu, 25 % Ni	Milled	Standing Helvetia	Value
2 Swiss francs 1995	2 Franc	27.40 mm	2.15 mm	8.8 g	75 % Cu, 25 % Ni	Milled	Standing Helvetia	Value
5 Swiss francs 1995	5 Franc	31.45 mm	2.35 mm	13.2 g	75 % Cu, 25 % Ni	Inscribed	Alpine herdsman (often misinterpreted as William Tell)	Value

See also

• Swiss franc
  
• Banknotes of the Swiss franc

External links