10 Francs 5th series

The fifth series was commissioned in the late 1940s but took years to reach circulation — the SNB's notoriously cautious approval process meant that Eidenbenz's designs were revised repeatedly before the first notes were authorised for issue in 1955. By the time the series was finally withdrawn in 1980, it had been in active use for a quarter century, an unusually long run even by Swiss standards.

The proliferation of signature combinations here — over sixty across more than two dozen printing dates — reflects the SNB's three-signatory authentication structure, with each position turning over independently as bank officers retired or changed roles. Collectors tracking complete signature sets for this denomination alone face a substantial task. The 1977 dates, featuring Leutwiler in the middle position just before he became SNB President, are among the later and less commonly encountered.