Swiss 1940 Defense Pattern

This 1940 Swiss Defense Pattern was struck as a trial piece to test alternative metals amid wartime shortages, a prudent move when gold supplies grew scarce in Europe.

That meant using zinc or iron planchets, recycled from whatever scrap was handy, to keep the economy afloat if invasion loomed. Switzerland, ever neutral, prepared for the worst without fanfare. Records from the Bern mint are spotty; we know a few prototypes exist in collections, but exact numbers vanished in postwar disarray.

Design-wise, it's a simple shield with crossed swords, devoid of the usual alpine motifs. If you're wondering why it never entered circulation, blame the peace that held—just barely.

Collectors sometimes mistake it for a regular issue, which is a tired error I've corrected more times than I'd like.