{"id":2193,"date":"2023-01-12T10:36:21","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T09:36:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/magazin\/die-ersten-sondermuenzen-der-schweiz-mit-kurswert\/"},"modified":"2023-06-28T08:52:51","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T06:52:51","slug":"switzerlands-first-commemorative-coins-with-circulation-value","status":"publish","type":"magazin","link":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/en\/magazine\/switzerlands-first-commemorative-coins-with-circulation-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Switzerland\u2019s first commemorative coins with circulation value"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Switzerland\u2019s first special coins with circulation value<\/h1>\n

To mark the Wehranleihe (War Bond) issued in 1936 to raise money for the Swiss military, the Federal Council issued the first special coin in 0.835 silver with a face value of CHF 5. Further issues of coins on various themes followed at irregular intervals until 1963. Aimed primarily at collectors, they were also intended to raise money for the state coffers.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Historical special coins without circulation value were also often minted in the past. The more fragmented the monetary system, the more frequently special coins were issued, with the approval of the federal government. Some of these had the same legal value throughout Switzerland as the 5-franc piece. They could therefore be used for payment purposes, within certain limits. However, their monetary function was by no means the primary focus of these coins, and few of them ended up in general circulation. As special coins, they were primarily intended for collectors. Indeed, the federal government did not want them to find their way back into the state coffers, as this made minting them more profitable. special coins were usually referred to as talers.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"1908:<\/picture><\/div><\/div>

Obverse celebrating a subject or occasion<\/strong>
\nThe 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 \u201especial coins\u201c 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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]

Celebrating current and historical milestones
\n<\/strong>From 1936 to 1963, the Confederation issued 5-franc special coins at irregular intervals. Made of 0.835 silver with a diameter of 31mm, they featured the following motifs.<\/p>\n

The special coins made of 0.835 silver with a face value of CHF 5 were withdrawn from circulation as legal tender by a Federal Council decree of 1 April 1971.<\/p>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″]

1936 <\/strong>Wehranleihe (War Bond)<\/p>\n

1939 <\/strong>600th<\/sup> anniversary of the Battle of Laupen<\/p>\n

1941 <\/strong>Bundesfeier (650th<\/sup> anniversary of the Swiss Confederation)<\/p>\n

1944 <\/strong>500th<\/sup> anniversary of the Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs<\/p>\n

1948 <\/strong>100th<\/sup> anniversary of the Swiss Federal Constitution<\/p>\n

1936 <\/strong>100th<\/sup> anniversary of the Red Cross<\/p>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner]

\"Wehranleihe:\"<\/picture><\/div><\/div>

Wehranleihe: 200,000 units
\n<\/strong>Mindful of the threat of war, the Federal Assembly approved a total of CHF 235 million for an extraordinary armaments programme.<\/p>\n

To finance this, the Federal Council issued the so-called Wehranleihe. The interest rate was 3\u2009%, slightly above the normal rate for government bonds. Thanks to a massive (for the time) advertising campaign, a total of CHF 335 million was subscribed.<\/p>\n

Silver-plated thank you for helping to shore up Switzerland\u2019s defences<\/strong>
\nThe Federal Council had decided to present subscribers with an artistically decorated certificate of thanks along with their bonds, but the suggestion was then made to create a special coin instead. The idea initially came to nothing, but in view of the impressive results of the subscription it was subsequently revived in order to memorialise the commitment of the Swiss people to the national defence. Based on a federal decree of 27 October 1937, a special coin with legal tender status was issued \u201ein memory of the resounding success of the 1936 War Bond and the unequivocal expression of the will of the Swiss people to strengthen their national defence\u201c. The artists were asked to come up with a coin image that expressed the Swiss people\u2019s commitment to self-defence in an easily understandable, succinct and aesthetically refined way. Around 300 entries were received, of which one, by the Geneva-based sculptor Max Weber, was chosen as the final design.<\/p>\n

Dove of peace and steel helmet
\n<\/strong>The obverse shows a young woman in a half-seated position, looking at a dove of peace on her left hand. In her right hand, she holds the sword as a symbol of the military protection necessary to safeguard peace. The reverse features a square in the centre, enclosing the Swiss cross and the text PRO PATRIA ARMIS TUENDA (For arms to protect the country). Above the square is a steel helmet dividing the year of issue (1936). The space to the right and left of the square is decorated with oak leaves.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"600<\/picture><\/div><\/div>

600th<\/sup> anniversary of the Battle of Laupen: 30,600 units
\n<\/strong>Following a Federal Council decree of 4 November 1938, the Confederation issued the \u201eLaupentaler\u201c in 1939 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Laupen.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Bundesfeier\"<\/picture><\/div><\/div>

Bundesfeier: 100,500 units
\n<\/strong>1941 marked the 650th anniversary of the founding of the Swiss Confederation. Among other things, the federal government celebrated this milestone by issuing a special coin.<\/p>\n

The obverse, designed by Ernst Suter of Basel, shows three Confederates (Eidgenossen) from different centuries swearing allegiance to the fatherland together. The reverse, by the Geneva sculptor Luc Jaggi, features the words PROMISERUNT INVICEM SIBI ASSISTERE AUXILIO (They promised to assist each other), taken from the 1291 Federal Charter.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"500<\/picture><\/div><\/div>

500th<\/sup> anniversary of the Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs: 101,680 units
\n<\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s will to defend itself, which \u2013 in 1944 just as 500 years previously \u2013 would not be cowed by any superior power.<\/p>\n

Heroic imagery, martial message
\n<\/strong>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).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"100<\/picture><\/div><\/div>

100th<\/sup> anniversary of the Federal Constitution: 500,400 units
\n<\/strong>To mark the centenary of the Swiss Federal Constitution, a special taler in the form of a 5-franc piece was issued in 1948.<\/p>\n

Following two competitions, a design by the Geneva sculptor Max Weber was chosen for the obverse and one by the Lucerne sculptor August Bl\u00e4si for the reverse.<\/p>\n

On the obverse, a female figure representing the Confederation sits on the solid foundation of the 1848 Constitution and holds out a leafy branch, a symbol of renewal, to her little boy, the young Swiss federal state. The reverse features the monetary value and a reference to the Constitution as the foundation of Switzerland\u2019s strength: CONSTITUTIO ANNI MDCCCXLVIII HELVETIAE FORTIORIS FUNDAMENTUM.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"100<\/picture><\/div><\/div>

100th<\/sup> anniversary of the Red Cross: 623,000 units
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The relatively high mintage reflects the great importance of the Red Cross. Both the obverse and reverse are by the Geneva sculptor Max Weber.<\/p>\n

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 \u2013 63 and 19 \u2013 63 are positioned around the perimeter of the coin.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]

Sources<\/strong><\/em>
\n100 Jahre Schweizerm\u00fcnzen, Dr. Gaston Jaquemet<\/em>
\n100 Jahre schweizerisches M\u00fcnzwesen 1850 \u2013 1950, Dr. F. X. Weissenrieder<\/em>
\nGeld \u2013 Schweizer M\u00fcnzen und Banknoten als unbestechliche Zeitzeugen, Johannes M\u00fcller<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/div>","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-2193","magazin","type-magazin","status-publish","hentry","thema-from-the-archive"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin\/2193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/magazin"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin\/2193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3636,"href":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin\/2193\/revisions\/3636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sondermuenze.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}