The Vreneli design was selected through a public competition in 1895, ultimately won by Fritz Ulysse Girardet — though the female head is widely attributed to have been modeled on a composite ideal rather than any single individual, contrary to the persistent folk claim that a specific Bernese woman sat as the subject. The 1897 date places this firmly in the pattern phase: the definitive circulation issue did not launch until 1897 for trial pieces and 1898 for general production, meaning examples bearing this year exist almost exclusively as Probeprägungen submitted for official approval.
The Fr#500 attribution confirms Frey's classification as a pattern distinct from the adopted type.
The Vreneli design was selected through a public competition in 1895, ultimately won by Fritz Ulysse Girardet — though the female head is widely attributed to have been modeled on a composite ideal rather than any single individual, contrary to the persistent folk claim that a specific Bernese woman sat as the subject. The 1897 date places this firmly in the pattern phase: the definitive circulation issue did not launch until 1897 for trial pieces and 1898 for general production, meaning examples bearing this year exist almost exclusively as Probeprägungen submitted for official approval.
The Fr#500 attribution confirms Frey's classification as a pattern distinct from the adopted type.