Switzerland’s first special coins with circulation value

Obverse celebrating a subject or occasion
The Coinage Act stipulated only the character of the 5-franc piece and left it to the Federal Council to determine the exact design. As a result, the Federal Council was allowed to produce special coins within the scope of the minting powers granted by the Federal Assembly. By law, these coins had to be considered as 5-franc pieces, but they had to be distinguished from the other 5-franc coins by a special design. The images featured on special coins referred to the subject or occasion being celebrated. Technically, they were classed as „special coins“ in that the obverse did not refer to the Confederation as the minting authority, as was customary, but depicted the event being celebrated. The positioning of the obverse is determined by the location of the edge inscription DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT (The Lord will provide), which corresponds to that of the 5-franc piece from 1931.

600^th anniversary of the Battle of Laupen: 30,600 units
Following a Federal Council decree of 4 November 1938, the Confederation issued the „Laupentaler“ in 1939 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Laupen.

The coin commemorates 21 June 1339, when the Swiss Confederacy and the Bernese under Rudolf von Erlach defeated the Austrians and the nobility of western Switzerland at the Battle of Laupen. Since it was assumed that historical interest would largely be confined to the canton of Bern, the mintage was relatively small.

The design is by Remo Rossi, a sculptor from Locarno. It shows a warrior swinging a sling. Tradition has it that this weapon was the deciding factor in the Battle of Laupen. The image is framed by the words CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA. The reverse features the inscription LAUPEN MCCCXXXIX.

500^th anniversary of the Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs: 101,680 units
Due to insufficient silver reserves, the federal government opposed the creation of a commemorative medal marking the 500th anniversary of the Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs on 26 August 1444. However, it did agree to mint a special 5-franc piece with legal tender status for the occasion.

The artists were asked to create an image for the obverse which, rather than necessarily capturing a historical event, should be, first and foremost, a living expression of Switzerland’s will to defend itself, which – in 1944 just as 500 years previously – would not be cowed by any superior power.

Heroic imagery, martial message
Of the entries submitted, the design by Lucerne sculptor Emil Wiederkehr emerged victorious. The image shows a kneeling warrior hurling a rock with his right hand while pulling an arrow from his chest with his left hand. The text on the reverse was already decided in advance. It comprised a reference to the historical event and an inscription encircling the coin. The latter is a description of the citizens of Basel by Enea Silvio Piccolomini, secretary at the Council of Basel and later Pope Pius II: MORI MALUNT QUAM SUPERARI (They would rather die than be defeated).

100^th anniversary of the Red Cross: 623,000 units

On the centenary of the founding of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, the Confederation issued the last special coin made of silver with a face value of CHF 5.

The relatively high mintage reflects the great importance of the Red Cross. Both the obverse and reverse are by the Geneva sculptor Max Weber.

The obverse depicts a cross formed by a nurse standing upright, raising her left hand and holding her left elbow with her right hand. Two wounded soldiers lying on the ground, with bandaged upper bodies, make up the left and right arms of the cross. The years 18 – 63 and 19 – 63 are positioned around the perimeter of the coin.