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2 Rappen Wreath, zinc
| Issuer | Swiss Confederation |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942-1946 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 20.0 mm |
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| Obverse description | The Swiss federal coat of arms, a white cross on a red shield, is displayed centrally upon an ornate baroque-style shield. A leafy oak branch extends to the right of the shield, while a laurel branch flanks it to the left, together forming a partial wreath. Above the shield appears a feathered hat, a traditional Swiss heraldic symbol. The country name HELVETIA and the date of issue appear as the legend in the field. The design is executed in a restrained classical style typical of nineteenth-century Swiss coinage. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Switzerland switched to zinc for small denominations during World War II not by choice but by necessity — copper and bronze were strategically restricted across Europe, and neutral Switzerland faced acute supply constraints despite its non-belligerent status. The wartime zinc issues circulated heavily through a period of rationing and economic strain, which makes genuinely uncirculated survivors harder to locate than their modest face value might suggest. Zinc is also an unforgiving metal: it corrodes readily, and even lightly circulated examples frequently show surface degradation that no amount of careful storage can reverse after the fact.