By Federal Mint Swissmint ……
On September 12, 1848, the old Swiss Confederation became a federal state and the first permanent democracy in Europe. To commemorate the 175th anniversary of modern Switzerland, Swissmint, which produces exclusive and limited collector coins under the name “Swiss special coins”, is putting a new special coin into circulation.
As Head of the Federal Department of Finance, Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter presented the new 175 Years of the Federal Constitution special coin to the public for the first time at the beginning of June, and underlined the overriding importance of the first Federal Constitution for Switzerland. “Over the course of 175 years, as our society has changed, so too has our Constitution. The first Federal Constitution, however, was a real stroke of genius – with it, in a very short time, our forefathers created an institutional foundation for modern Switzerland that remains stable to this day,” she said.
“As with the 100th anniversary, the idea of a special coin in gold and silver to mark the 175th anniversary is a great opportunity to bring our special coins closer to the Swiss public,” proudly explained Jan Niklas Betz, Deputy General Manager at Swissmint.
175 Years of the Federal Swiss Constitution on a Coin
The 20g special coin marking 175 years of the Federal Constitution is alloyed with 999.9 silver and shows the preamble of the Federal Constitution on the obverse – symbolically transposed with the terms of the text intertwining to form a very powerful symbol. The reverse features an angel bears the the Swiss coat of arms. Further to the discussions about the reference to God in the Federal Constitution, the Olten artist Peter Salzmann left out the wings from the angel.
“We usually see what we want to see – and so we are left with a figure that is familiar to us. The angel becomes Helvetia, the peacemaker. A virtue that is more important than ever in today’s world,” explained Salzmann.
In addition, the nominal value of CHF 20 is depicted. 10,000 uncirculated coins and 4,250 coins in Proof quality will be issued.
The version weighing 11.29g and alloyed with 0.900 gold shows the same motifs on both the obverse and the reverse. The nominal value of the gold coin is CHF 50 [about $58 USD at the time of writing]. Five thousand coins will be issued in Proof quality.
The Federal Mint Swissmint produces Swiss franc coins on behalf of the Swiss Confederation. These have been created in the heart of Switzerland since 1855, and in the popular Kirchenfeld district of Bern since 1906. Since 1936, Swissmint has also minted special coins to commemorate important historical and cultural events and to honour prominent figures. Each of these special coins is a miniature work of art in a unique tradition of artistry and craftsmanship.
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About the Federal Mint Swissmint
The Federal Mint Swissmint produces Switzerland’s coins for use in everyday payment transactions. The Federal Mint also regularly issues commemorative coins and coinage of a higher standard for the numismatic market. Commemorative coins in bimetal, silver, or gold bear an official, state-guaranteed, nominal value and are available in various minting qualities.
