20 20 BONO FRANCHI VENTI moneta legale pagabili al portatore DALLA CASSA DELLA BANCA DELLA SVIZZERA ITALIANA IN LUGANO Lugano 1 Ottobre 1874 IL CASSIERE : IL DIRETTORE :
Banca della Svizzera Italiana was one of several short-lived cantonal and private banks operating in Ticino during Switzerland's free banking period, before the Federal Banking Law of 1881 and the subsequent monopoly granted to the Swiss National Bank in 1907 forced their closure or absorption. Notes from these institutions are scarce simply because issuance volumes were low and redemption destroyed most of the surviving stock.
The S-prefix in the Pick reference places this firmly in the specialized territory — catalogued separately precisely because these private Swiss bank issues fall outside the mainstream national series.
Banca della Svizzera Italiana was one of several short-lived cantonal and private banks operating in Ticino during Switzerland's free banking period, before the Federal Banking Law of 1881 and the subsequent monopoly granted to the Swiss National Bank in 1907 forced their closure or absorption. Notes from these institutions are scarce simply because issuance volumes were low and redemption destroyed most of the surviving stock.
The S-prefix in the Pick reference places this firmly in the specialized territory — catalogued separately precisely because these private Swiss bank issues fall outside the mainstream national series.