Swiss federal coinage dates to the law of 7 May 1850: a decimal franc of 100 rappen, minted at the Federal Mint in Bern (B mintmark), and a founding membership in the Latin Monetary Union of 1865. The Vreneli gold pieces and the shooting thalers make Switzerland one of the richest small-country fields in European numismatics.
Denominations
5 Francs — Shooting Thalers (Schützentaler)
- Issued: the great Swiss shooting-festival commemoratives — 20 distinct government issues in total: the cantonal pieces (Graubünden 1842 at 4 francs, Glarus 1847 at 40 batzen, Geneva 1851 double thaler at 10 francs), 15 federal 5-franc issues from 1855–1885, and the final 1934 and 1939 pieces.
- Composition: .900 fine silver, 25 g, 37 mm.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing.
5 Francs — Herdsman / Helvetia Type (1922–date)
- Issued: 1922 to date, Paul Burkhard’s herdsman with the Alps — Switzerland’s longest-running circulating design.
- Composition, including dated changes: .835 fine silver for 1931–1967 and 1969; copper-nickel from 1968.
- Design notes: obverse Helvetia bust, reverse herdsman; edge inscription DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT (“the Lord will provide”). Earlier 5-franc types: Seated Helvetia (to 1874) and the Helvetia Head (1888–1916).
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing.
10 Francs “Vreneli” (1911–1922)
- Issued: 1911–1922, the half-sovereign of the Vreneli family.
- Composition: .900 fine gold; approximately 2.6 million pieces struck.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
20 Francs “Vreneli” (1897–1949)
- Issued: 1897–1949 — regular issues 1897–1936, then restrikes dated 1947 and 1949; legal-tender status ended 29 September 1936.
- Composition: .900 fine gold, 6.452 g, 21 mm.
- Design: Fritz Landry’s Helvetia with the edelweiss and mountain backdrop — “Vreneli” from the affectionate Swiss name for the little girl.
- Notable varieties (verified only): the 1947 and 1949 restrikes carry edge variants — “AD LEGEM ANNI MCMXXXI” or the “L” mark — distinguishing them from the original 1897–1936 strikes.
- Mintage highlights (verified): approximately 58.6 million pieces in total across the series.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
100 Francs “Vreneli” (1925)
- Issued: 1925, the crown jewel of the Vreneli family.
- Composition: .900 fine gold; verified mintage 5,000 pieces.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
Bullion & modern issues
The 20-franc Vreneli is Switzerland’s liquid gold coin — .1867 oz of gold that trades alongside Napoléons and sovereigns, with the 1947/1949 restrikes the most available. Switzerland has no standalone modern bullion wiki entry in this guide.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
Values move; always check live sold listings on the linked guides. Key dates and high-value pieces require authentication.
Switzerland is a two-track field: the Vreneli for gold (buy the 20 francs by weight; the 1947/1949 restrikes trade closest to melt, originals carry the premium) and the 5-franc pieces for silver — the shooting thalers for the commemorative story, the herdsman for the long type run. The .835-to-copper-nickel switch in 1968 is the hinge date for the herdsman series. For values, work from the linked entries’ live sold listings; the Vreneli tracks gold spot via the melt calculator.
Europe Red Book v2 research chapter, published September 15, 2026. Values are intentionally excluded; use authenticated sold-market evidence.