Catalog
20 Francs 9th series
| Issuer | Swiss National Bank |
|---|---|
| Year | 2015-2016 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Orell Füssli Security Printing Ltd, Zurich, Switzerland |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse, also in red and rose tones, is dominated by two large intaglio swallowtail butterflies rendered in fine violet engraving against a radiant sunburst guilloche underprint in red and ochre, symbolising time and transformation. A transparent window element is integrated into the Durasafe substrate near centre, flanked by intricate fine-line patterns and a teal wavy underprint in the lower register. The denomination in German and Romansh, serial number, signature lines, and printer attribution appear in the lower half, with the bank name inscribed vertically along the left margin. |
| Reverse lettering | 20 Banknoten sind strafrechtlich geschützt. Las bancnotas èn protegias dal dregt penal. SCHWEIZERISCHE NATIONALBANK BANCA NAZIUNALA SVIZRA Zwanzig Franken Ventg Francs Der Präsident des Bankrats Ein Mitglied des Direktoriums 20 Manuela Pfrunder GMP orell füssli security printing ltd Banque nationale suisse |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Switzerland's 9th series was years late. Development began around 2005, but persistent technical problems with the Durasafe substrate — a polymer-paper hybrid that neither De La Rue nor any other major security printer had successfully deployed at scale — pushed the first release to 2016, roughly a decade behind schedule. The SNB had publicly committed to the series long before it could actually deliver it, an unusual admission of difficulty from an institution not known for stumbles.
Durasafe allows a genuine transparent window within a paper-feel note, something traditional cotton-fibre banknotes cannot achieve. The 20 Franken was among the first denominations released from the series.