Jean Tinguely
On 22 May 2025, Jean Tinguely would have turned 100, making it the perfect occasion for the Federal Mint Swissmint to launch the new “Jean Tinguely” special coin.
Born in Fribourg, Jean Tinguely made his mark in the art world with his playful and critical approach. He used recycled materials to create movable artworks that combined noise, mechanics and aesthetics. His characteristic work and his collaboration with other artists such as Niki de Saint Phalle made him one of the most important figures of contemporary art. 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of this birth, a jubilee to celebrate the artistic heritage he left behind.
The silver special coin is a tribute to one of the most influential Swiss artists of the 20th century. For Tinguely, the machine was much more than just a mechanical object. For him, it stood for humour, poetry and the constant motion of life. His works, which oscillate between wisdom and madness, continue to inspire contemporary art today.
Obverse
The obverse of the coin depicts an element of the iconic Heureka sculpture, which was created in 1964 for the Swiss National Exhibition in Lausanne and can now be found in Zurich. This art piece, made of intertwined wheels and mechanisms, is a great example of Tinguely’s vision to break the traditional rules of art by integrating newer materials. His name appears on the upper part of the coin in the style of a collage, alluding to his preferred artistic techniques. His year of birth, 1925, is highlighted in order to evoke his 100th birthday in 2025.
Reverse
The reverse side of the coin shows a portrait of Jean Tinguely from the front, drawn in lines that sketch the contours of his face. This graphic representation is a nod to his artistic universe, in which lines, shapes and mechanical structures are combined to create works in constant motion. The face value of CHF 20 is also shown on the reverse of the coin, along with the words “CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA”, the year of issue 2025, and the mint mark “B” for Swissmint.