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10 Rappen Libertas, brass
| Issuer | Swissmint (Federal Mint Bern) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1918-1919 |
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| Currency | Franc (1850-date) |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing bust of Libertas, the allegorical female personification of liberty, wearing a diademed headband inscribed LIBERTAS, her braided and loosely flowing hair tied with a ribbon at the nape. The legend CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA arcs around the upper periphery, flanked by a continuous beaded border. The date appears in the lower field, separated on either side by a small six-pointed rosette ornament. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA ⸭ 1918 ⸭ |
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| Additional information |
Switzerland abandoned its standard cupronickel 10 Rappen composition in 1918 specifically because nickel had become a strategic war material — despite Swiss neutrality, the metal was nearly impossible to source as the surrounding belligerents monopolized supply chains. Brass was the expedient replacement, minted across 1918 and 1919 only, making this a brief wartime anomaly within an otherwise highly consistent series.
The type saw limited circulation before the return to cupronickel, and brass examples that did circulate toned and wore distinctly differently from their predecessors. Most survivors show either heavy oxidation or, conversely, surprisingly little wear.