Vreneli Gold 20 Francs (Hand-Selected)
- Helvetia: symbol of Switzerland
- State minting: Bern mint
- Swiss history: to hold in your hand
- HelvetiaIn profile with a braid, the Alps in the background
- State mintingFrom the Swiss Federal Mint, today known as Swissmint
- Swiss historyOnce regular currency in everyday Swiss life
- Helvetia: symbol of Switzerland
- State minting: Bern mint
- Swiss history: to hold in your hand
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Switzerland · 1897 to 1949
Vreneli.Chosen by hand.
A Swiss classic, picked by hand for this selection. Its gold relief shows you the Alps, edelweiss and the familiar Vreneli portrait.
- Fine gold
- 5.806 g
- Diameter
- 21 mm
- Fineness
- 900/1,000
A Swiss classic, picked by hand for this selection. Its gold relief shows you the Alps, edelweiss and the familiar Vreneli portrait.
- Fine gold
- 5.806 g
- Diameter
- 21 mm
- Fineness
- 900/1,000
The portrait
A young woman before the mountains.
Fritz-Ulysse Landry from Neuchâtel created the model. The name Vreneli, a pet form of Verena, was given to her by the people. It first appeared in print in 1943.
The value side
One cross. One country.
On the other side the Swiss coat of arms rests on an oak branch. 20 is on the left, FR on the right.
- Face value
- 20 francs
- Mint
- Bern
The story
Too young, said the jury.
In 1895 Switzerland was looking for a new coin design. Instead of the usual antique heads, Landry showed a young woman before the mountains. The jury found her too young, yet the Federal Council awarded him first prize.
The family
Three sizes, one face.
The Vreneli came as 10, 20 and 100 francs, all in gold with a fineness of 900 thousandths. Here you see all three in their true proportions.
The Alps in view.Switzerland in your hand.
Once struck to pay with. Today a piece of Switzerland to pass on.
Vreneli Gold 20 Francs (Hand-Selected): Helvetia before the Alps in Swiss gold
- Design: Helvetia in profile with a braided plait over her shoulder, behind her the peaks of the Alps and above them the inscription HELVETIA.
- Material / fineness: The alloy reaches a fineness of 900/1,000 and contains 5.81 g of pure gold.
- Manufacturer: the Federal Mint in Bern, known today as Swissmint.
- Selection: hand-selected coins in bank quality.
- National pride: a piece of Swiss identity that you can hold in your hand.
In Switzerland, this coin bears an affectionate nickname: Vreneli, the Swiss German pet form of the name Verena. For many Swiss people it is a source of national pride, and it is also well known among investors and collectors far beyond the country's borders. With the Vreneli Gold 20 Francs (Hand-Selected), you acquire a Swiss classic that was once used for everyday payments.
Helvetia against the Alpine panorama
The obverse shows Helvetia, the female figure who personifies Switzerland. She is depicted in profile, her hair braided into a plait that reaches over her shoulder. Behind her rise the mountains of the Alps, and a beaded border frames the design. The reverse is adorned with the Swiss cross, the heraldic emblem of the Confederation.
Struck in Bern
The Vreneli was produced at the Federal Mint in Bern, Switzerland's state mint, which is now called Swissmint. The gold pieces of 20 francs were struck there between 1897 and 1949. Many of them circulated in the country's payment system before becoming sought-after pieces for investors and collectors.
Hand-selected and in bank quality
As the name suggests, these Vreneli are selected by hand. Their condition is bank quality: the coins have circulated and show the typical traces of their use. The years of issue are mixed, and selection by year of minting is not possible.
A standard Switzerland shared with its neighbours
Because Switzerland was one of the founding members of the Latin Monetary Union, its gold coins of 20 francs follow the same standard as the 20 francs from France and Belgium or the 20 lire from Italy. With a diameter of 21 mm and a total weight of 6.45 g, the Vreneli is also pleasantly small and can be stored in very little space.
Gold as provision in turbulent times
Gold has an intrinsic value that does not depend on a central bank or a government. That is why investors have used it for generations as an inflation hedge, and likewise as crisis protection for politically or economically difficult periods. With its small denomination, the Vreneli helps you to divide your gold holdings into handy units. It is equally suitable for long-term preservation of value and for passing on within the family. As investment gold, the Vreneli is also exempt from VAT.
Vreneli data at a glance
- Face value: 20 francs
- Country: Switzerland
- Manufacturer: Federal Mint, Bern
- Fineness: 900/1,000
- Fine weight: 5.81 g
- Gross weight: 6.45 g
- Diameter: 21 mm
- Condition: bank quality, circulated (used)
Some coins are spent, others are kept. The Vreneli has known both.
Choose the Vreneli Gold 20 Francs (Hand-Selected) as the Swiss building block of your gold reserves and order it from Kettner Edelmetalle.
Product depiction may differ from the final product.
