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20 Francs 5th series
| Issuer | Swiss National Bank |
|---|---|
| Year | 1954-1976 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Francs (20 CHF) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Large intaglio vignette of a silver thistle (Carlina acaulis) in full bloom occupies the left and centre of the note, its radiating bracts and spiny leaves rendered in fine line engraving against a pale guilloche underprint. To the right, a bold guilloche rosette frames the numeral 20 in contrasting purple and blue tones. The bank name appears in two of the three national languages along the vertical side panels and in the bottom margin. |
| Reverse lettering | SCHWEIZERISCHE NATIONALBANK BANCA NAZIONALE SVIZZERA BANCA NAZIONALE SVIZZERA BANQUE NATIONALE SUISSE 20 ORELL FÜSSLI ARTS GRAPHIQUES S.A. ZÜRICH |
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| Comments |
The fifth series was conceived in the late 1930s but shelved during the war years; notes finally entered circulation only in the mid-1950s after prolonged revision. Hermann Eidenbenz, better known for his graphic design and typography work, produced designs of unusual restraint for Swiss currency of the period — Orell Füssli's engravers then translated those into intaglio with characteristic precision.
The sheer volume of signature combinations — over seventy across twenty-two print dates — reflects the SNB's strict practice of dating notes to board-approval sessions rather than actual release, with three concurrent signatories required at all times. The 1967 changeover from Kunz to Aebersold as third signatory is the most useful dividing point for collectors working through the series. Final issue date of 09.04.1976 preceded demonetization well into the 1980s.