ObverseImage: Wikimedia Commons · Swissmint · Public domain
Swiss 1 Franc Silver
Switzerland
1881–1968
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$11.02
Based on Silver spot price ($82.08/oz) · 83.5% purity · 5g
Updated 1:44 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Switzerland |
| Years Minted | 1881–1968 |
| Composition | 0.835 silver |
| Weight | 5 g |
| Diameter | 23.75 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
Features the inscription 'CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA' and the Swiss cross.
Reverse
Depicts the value '1 FR' and the year of issue.
History & Notable Facts
The Swiss 1 Franc silver coin stayed in circulation with a genuine silver content longer than most, from 1881 until 1968, when economic pressures finally nudged Switzerland toward base metals.
That persistence reflected the country's famed neutrality and fiscal conservatism. Struck at the Bern mint, these coins featured a simple design: the Swiss cross on one side, a wreath and the denomination on the other. They weighed about 5 grams in silver that's .835 fine, a standard that held steady for decades.
Exact mintage figures for some years are murky; records from the early 1900s might have been lost in bureaucratic reshuffles. Variations exist, like the 1931 issue with a different edge inscription, but they're subtle.
As for myths, no, it wasn't secretly hoarded by bankers. It was just a coin for buying bread.
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