Schützentaler

Lucerne rifle thaler from 1939

A Schützentaler is a Schützenmedaille in Taler size . In a narrower sense, it is understood to mean only the coins in Switzerland , some of which were used as a means of payment and therefore not only have the character of medals but also of commemorative coins .

history

1934 Freiburg rifle thalers. Reverse: BON DE 5Fr REMBOURSABLE AVANT LE 31 AOUT 1934 (German: GUT FOR 5 FRANCS Redeemable UNTIL 31 AUGUST 1934)

Medals were always minted on the occasion of the Federal Shooting Festival. Between 1855 and 1885 these corresponded exactly to the circulating five-franc coins in terms of diameter, alloy and weight. They were not only intended as souvenirs, but also as a means of payment during the shooting festival. Because they de facto retained the value of five francs even after the festival, they were also used in general payment transactions.

From 1865 Switzerland was a member of the Latin Monetary Union . The rifle thalers were not included in the minting numbers approved by the Coin Union, which is why their circulation and their semi-official character contradicted the Coin Union Treaties. After pressure from other member states, Switzerland stopped minting after 1885. After the end of the coin union in 1927, Schützentaler were minted twice, namely at the festivals in Freiburg in 1934 and in Lucerne in 1939.

The forerunners of the Schützentaler were the coins minted by the cantons on the occasion of shooting festivals (4 Francs 1842 Graubünden , 40 Batzen 1847 Glarus and 10 Francs 1851 Geneva ). Today, medals with value indications are issued by private sources at cantonal and federal shooting festivals, which are often also referred to as shooting thalers.

Data and design

19th century, rifle thalers of the cantons

Shooting festival	year	Face value	metal	Designer	diameter	Edition
Chur	1842	4 francs	silver	Karl Friedrich Voigt	40 mm	4.256
Glarus	1847	40 chunks	silver	S. Burger, Karl Friedrich Voigt	40 mm	3,200
Geneva	1851	10 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy	48 mm	1,000

19th century, Swiss rifle thalers

Shooting festival	year	Face value	metal	Designer	diameter	Edition
Solothurn	1855	5 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy	37 mm	3,000
Bern	1857	5 francs	silver	Ferdinand Korn	37 mm	5.191
Zurich	1859	5 francs	silver	Ferdinand Korn	37 mm	6,000
Stans	1861	5 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy	37 mm	6,000
La Chaux-de-Fonds	1863	5 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy, Jacob Siber	37 mm	6,000
Schaffhausen	1865	5 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy	37 mm	10,000
Schwyz	1867	5 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy	37 mm	8,000
train	1869	5 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy	37 mm	6,000
Zurich	1872	5 francs	silver	Fritz Landry	37 mm	10,000
St. Gallen	1874	5 francs	silver	Antoine Bovy	37 mm	15,000
Lausanne	1876	5 francs	silver	Edouard Durussel	37 mm	20,000
Basel	1879	5 francs	silver	Edouard Durussel	37 mm	30,000
Freiburg	1881	5 francs	silver	Edouard Durussel	37 mm	30,000
Lugano	1883	5 francs	silver	Edouard Durussel	37 mm	30,000
Bern	1885	5 francs	silver	Edouard Durussel, Christian Bühler	37 mm	25,000