Two-franc piece

Two-franc piece
Data
Alloy:	75% copper 25% nickel
Weight:	8.80 g
Diameter:	27.40 mm
Thickness:	2.15 mm
Edge embossing:	ribbed
Artist:	Albert Walch (design), Antoine Bovy (coin engraver)

First version of the two-franc coin from 1850 with the seated Helvetia

The two-franc piece , mostly Zweifränkler (disrespectfully easily in rare cases Zwöiliber ), is a circulating coin of Switzerland in the value of two Swiss Francs .

Coin image

The two-franc coin has had the same motif since 1874 (as have the one- franc and fifty-centime coin since 1875 ): on the obverse is the coin value above the year, framed by a wreath (left: oak leaves, right: rust-leaved alpine rose). On the back there is a standing Helvetia with a shield (left hand) and a spear (right hand), framed by 23 five-pointed stars, above the word «Helvetia».

The front is even older; it was already on the first editions in 1850. Originally a seated Helvetia was depicted on the back, with a shield and plow, the Virgin in the background .

The stars that frame the standing Helvetia were initially 22 in number, one for each canton . When the canton of Jura was added in 1979 , this number was no longer correct. This was not changed until 1983 and another star was added. Since 2000, the half-cantons have been counted individually in the Federal Constitution, which actually increases the number to 26; but this was not taken into account in the coin image.

Until 1981, the two-fringe (like all coins from the fifty-freak upwards) was minted opposite, i.e. H. the face of the coin is upside down when the coin is rotated around its vertical axis. Since 1982, all denominations have been coined with the same orientation.

The mint mark “B” below the wreath on the value side stands for the Federal Mint in Bern. The mintmark was omitted for the years 1970–85. In addition, part of the 1968 editions were minted in London, as the Federal Mint was overloaded. These coins do not have a mintmark either.

composition

Since 1968 the two-sided coin has been made of an alloy of 75% copper and 25% nickel ( cupernickel ), just like the other Swiss circulation coins today (with the exception of the five-sided coin ). Previously it was made of silver ; from 1850 to 1857 in a purity of 900/1000, from 1860 to 1863 in a purity of 800/1000 and from 1874 to 1967 in a purity of 835/1000. The silver coin always weighed 10 grams, while the cupronickel coin only weighed 8.8 grams. A remarkable fact is that a two- franc coin has always weighed exactly as much as two one- franc coins or four fifty centimes.

The diameter and the precious metal weight of this coin are based on the example of the French franc . With the Latin Monetary Union (1865–1926), the technical data were also laid down in an international agreement, and precious metal coins from France and the other contracting states circulated on an equal footing with Swiss coins.