The Vreneli gold coin is the informal declare of a series of gold coins made in Switzerland. The coin is known by a variety of names, formally as Helvetia Head (English) Tte d’Helvetia (French) or Helvetiakopf (German). Informally it is assumed publicize Vreneli, Helvetia, Swiss Miss or just as a Gold 20 Swiss Francs. The Vreneli is a bullion gold coin but does have numismatic supporters too.
The coins were issued along together surrounded by 1897 and 1936, in 1947 and in 1949. The coin ceased to be legitimate sore in 1936 and every share of coins issued after 1936 are restrikes.
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The series consisted of 10, 20 and 100 Swiss franc coins. The 20 francs is by far away away afield the most popular. The 100 franc coin was lonesome made in 1925 once a little matter of 5000. Over the series about 61 million coins have been produced.
All the coins were made in 90% gold (millesimal fineness of 900).
The Obverse shows the head of a youngster woman following favorably the words ‘HELVETIA’ written above. The female figure has platted hair and her shoulders are covered later a garment. In the background are the Swiss mountains.
The reverse of the 20 franc coin shows the Swiss shield, featuring the Swiss Cross, and a wreath of oak tied subsequently than ribbons along following the denomination not far off from the left (in this dispute 20) and the currency a propos the right (FR for Swiss Francs).
One Coin, Many Names
The design was by Fritz Ulysse Landry in 1895 and it is thought the model for the obverse was Franoise Engli.
The coin is known as Helvetia due to the single inscription upon the obverse. Helvetia is the female national personification of Switzerland, officially Confderatio Helvetica, the Swiss Confederation. Helvetia is along with a variation of the respected Latin publish of Switzerland.
The proclaim Vreneli is even even even though to derive from Verena, other personification of the Confederation of Switzerland in the female effigy (behind the American Lady Liberty). This is why the coins are sometimes colloquially called Swiss Miss.
The coins were minted at the Swiss Mint at Bern (although the die was engraved at the Paris mint). The coins carry a mint mark of a “B” (without a dot) for Bern. The restrikes have a mintmark of “L”.
The 20 franc coin specification is:
Diameter: 21 mm
Thickness: 1.25 mm
Weight: 6.45g, for that excuse gold content is 5.805g or 0.1866 oz
The 10 franc coin weighs 3.23g and has 2.9g of resolute gold.