Swiss 5 Rappen Bronze
Switzerland
1881–1939
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$0.03
Based on Copper spot price ($6.06/oz) · 95.0% purity · 2.5g
Updated 1:50 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Switzerland |
| Years Minted | 1881–1939 |
| Composition | Bronze |
| Weight | 2.5 g |
| Diameter | 17.15 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
Design
Obverse
Features the Swiss coat of arms with the inscription 'CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA'.
Reverse
Displays the denomination '5' and 'RAPPEN' along with the year.
History & Notable Facts
The Swiss 5 Rappen bronze coin, first struck in 1881, featured a design that omitted cantonal shields, streamlining the federal coat of arms for a unified national identity. This change reflected Switzerland's push for currency standardization after decades of regional variations. The coin's bronze composition, a mix of copper and tin, made it more resistant to wear than its billon predecessors, which often tarnished in circulation.
Production ran until 1939, with most pieces minted in Bern using machinery imported from Britain. Variations in die alignment or edge reeding are common, but exact numbers for certain years remain murky due to incomplete archives from that era. I've turned over hundreds of these in my time; they're sturdy little things, if a bit unassuming.
One version from the 1920s shows a slight misalignment that makes the cross look lopsided, as if even the mint was having an off day.
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