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2 Francs Helvetia seated, 90% silver
| Issuer | Swiss Confederation |
|---|---|
| Year | 1850-1857 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Francs (2 CHF) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a large, bold denomination '2 Fr.' in the upper centre of the field, with the date '1850' inscribed below. These inscriptions are enclosed within a finely detailed wreath composed of oak branches bearing acorns on the left and alpine rose (Alpenrose) branches in full bloom on the right, tied at the base with a foliate ribbon. The mint mark 'A' (Paris Mint) appears in the exergue at the bottom. The wreath is rendered with exceptional naturalistic detail, consistent with the high-relief standards of the Paris Mint in the mid-19th century. |
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| Additional information |
Switzerland's federal coinage system didn't exist before 1850. The Helvetic Republic had collapsed half a century earlier, and the intervening decades saw cantons issuing their own incompatible currencies — over eight hundred distinct coin types circulating simultaneously. The 1848 federal constitution finally forced consolidation, and this 2 Franc piece was among the first coins struck under the new centralized authority, with production contracted to the Paris Mint since Bern had no facility capable of the work.
The series was short-lived. By 1857 the seated Helvetia type was already being phased toward design revisions, and surviving examples from the earliest dates show heavier circulation wear consistent with a population starved of reliable coinage for decades.