1/2 Franc Helvetia standing, copper-nickel

The copper-nickel version of this denomination replaced the earlier silver-composition pieces beginning in 1968, a transition driven by the global silver shortage of the 1960s that forced mints across Europe and North America to abandon precious metal in subsidiary coinage. Switzerland had maintained silver in its circulating franc coinage longer than most industrialized nations, making the 1968 changeover a significant — if quietly implemented — monetary policy shift. The identical design across the transition was deliberate, intended to ease public acceptance of the debased alloy.

Dies for this type were produced with exceptional consistency over the decades, which is why even well-circulated examples rarely show the kind of design degradation common in longer-running series.