Goldvreneli
| Goldvreneli | |
|---|---|
| Face value: | 20 SFr |
| Metal: | 90% Au 10% Cu |
| Edge: | embossed |
| Embossing years: | 1897 to 1949 |
| front | |
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| Motive: | Federal coat of arms |
| back | |
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| Motive: | Helvetia |
| Designer: | Fritz Ulysse Landry |
| Draft date: | 1895 |
The Goldvreneli is the most famous gold coin in Switzerland . The 20 francs - coin was minted from 1897 to 1949. The total circulation was 58.6 million copies. The name Vreneli (diminutive of the traditional Swiss first name Verena ) was given to the coin from the image of women designed by Fritz Ulisse Landry. The coin is the successor to the Helvetia gold coin , which was minted from 1883 to 1896 .
A 10-franc Vreneli was also minted from 1911 to 1922. The circulation was 2.6 million pieces. In 1925, 5000 100-franc Vreneli were minted. The coins met the standards of the Latin Union of Coins .
Goldvreneli are popular in Switzerland as gifts and competition prizes.
history
In 1895 the Swiss Federal Council decided to redesign the 20-franc piece. The Federal Department of Finance stipulated that the coin should bear a Swiss, national motif, an allegorical or historical-symbolic representation of Switzerland.
In May 1895 the jury assessed the 21 submitted designs and recommended the second prize to be awarded to the Neuchâtel artist Fritz Ulysse Landry . His representation of Helvetia was perceived as too young, too individual and too enthusiastic. The mountain scenery in the background was also seen as too powerful. Landry then revised his design. At the suggestion of the Federal Department of Finance, the Federal Council finally awarded Fritz Landry the first prize.
In autumn 1895 the revised model was ready. The young woman looked more mature now, her hair was no longer loose, but tied in a braid. Around her neck she wore a new wreath of edelweiss flowers instead of rhododendron branches . The jury recommended the design for execution.
In 1897 twelve sample copies were made and submitted to the Federal Council. A concerned magistrate found fault with the forelock, which in his opinion " gives the woman a frivolous look" . Thereupon the forelock was omitted from the regular embossing.
The new gold coin was initially heavily criticized by experts. Like the jury in the design competition, they felt that the girl depicted was too young, too unworthy to represent Switzerland. The Swiss Numismatic Rundschau wrote: "Our country would have been better represented by Wilhelm Tell or by the men from Rütli." In contrast, the Vreneli was very popular with the general public from the start.
From 1931 onwards, many states began to devalue their currencies due to the global economic crisis. On September 27, 1936, the Swiss franc was devalued by around 30% as a result of the “Federal Decree on Extraordinary Measures to Restore the Financial Balance in the Federal Budget” in order to adapt it to the changed international conditions. The gold parity was lowered from 290 mg to 190 to 215 mg fine gold per franc. In addition, the Swiss National Bank was relieved of its obligation to exchange banknotes for gold. As a result, the gold coins lost their market value, although they have not yet been put out of circulation, as the gold value of the 20-franc piece rose to around 28 francs. The gold coins have mainly been hoarded since then.
Gondo imprints
In 1897, an additional 29 coins made of lighter Gondo gold from the former gold mine in Gondo , Canton Valais, were minted. The alloy of these coins contains not only copper but also silver, which creates the lighter color. In addition, a small cross is punched in the middle of the Swiss cross on these coins .
description
Front: female bust looking to the left, the rich hair tied up in a plait, the dress embroidered with edelweiss, against a mountain background. Above the writing «HELVETIA», on the lower right edge the name of the artist «F. LANDRY », pearl circle . Back: On the left the face value 20 and on the right the currency indication FR , in between the Swiss coat of arms in cut-out shields on a lush oak branch. Above the center of the shield, at one end of the branch ribbon knots with two fluttering ends on each side, the year below, and to the right of it the mint mark "B" for Bern. Pearl circle. Raised edge embossing: 22 stars (for the cantons, 7/7/8). The post-war issues of the year 1935 also have an «L» to the left of the year. Those with the years 1947 and 1949 have the Latin margin letters AD LEGEM ANNI MCMXXXI ("according to the law of 1931") instead of the stars .
The reverse of the 10 or 100 franc vrenelis shows the Swiss cross in a halo in the upper area. In the middle are the nominal value 10 FR or 100 FR and the year. In the lower area there are branches with flowers of alpine rose and gentian . The mintmark B is at the bottom . The edge of the 10-franc Vreneli is corrugated and that of the 100-franc Vreneli bears the Latin inscription: ★★★ DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT ★★★★★★★★★★ (“The Lord will provide for”).
| Face value | alloy | Gross weight | Fine weight | diameter | thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Fr. | 90% Au , 10% Cu | 3.226 g | 2.903 g | 19.0 mm | 0.90 mm |
| 20 Fr. | 90% Au, 10% Cu | 6.452 g | 5.807 g | 21.0 mm | 1.25 mm |
| 100 Fr. | 90% Au, 10% Cu | 32.258 g | 29.032 g | 35.0 mm | 2.20 mm |
Years and editions
10-franc Vreneli
| 1911 | 100,000 |
| 1912 | 200,000 |
| 1913 | 600,000 |
| 1914 | 200,000 |
| 1915 | 400,000 |
| 1916 | 130,000 |
| 1922 | 1,020,000 |
20-franc Vreneli
| 1897 | 400,000 |
| 1897 * | 29 |
| 1898 | 400,000 |
| 1899 | 300,000 |
| 1900 | 400,000 |
| 1901 x | 500,000 |
| 1902 | 600,000 |
| 1903 | 200,000 |
| 1904 | 100,000 |
| 1905 | 100,000 |
| 1906 | 100,000 |
| 1907 | 150,000 |
| 1908 | 355,000 |
| 1909 x | 400,000 |
| 1910 x | 375,000 |
| 1911 x | 350,000 |
| 1912 | 450,000 |
| 1913 x | 700,000 |
| 1914 x | 700,000 |
| 1915 x | 750,000 |
| 1916 | 300,000 |
| 1922 x | 2,783,678 |
| 1925 | 400,000 |
| 1926 | 50,000 |
| 1927 x | 5,015,000 |
| 1930 x | 3,371,764 |
| 1935 | 175,000 |
| L 1935 ** x | 20,008,813 |
| 1947 x | 9,200,000 |
| 1949 x | 10,000,000 |
* In 1897, 29 coins made of lighter gondo gold were minted.
** The vintage L 1935 (L = Lingot / Barren) was minted in the following years: 1945: 3,500,000; 1946: 7,108,813; 1947: 9,400,000
100-franc Vreneli
| 1925 | 5,000 |
Web links
- History of the Goldvreneli (PDF; 80 kB)
- Lorenzo Fedel: Vreneli. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
- Viewing in the MDM blog
Circulation coins: 5 centimes | 10 cents | 20 cents | ½ franc | 1 franc | 2 francs | 5 francs
Not current: 1 centime | 2 cents
Gold coins: Helvetia | Goldvreneli | 25 and 50 francs
Commemorative coins : commemorative five-ribbons | 10 francs | 20 francs | gold