Catalog
20 Franken - Franz Josef II
| Issuer | Liechtenstein |
|---|---|
| Year | 1946 |
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| Currency | Swiss franc (1924-date) |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The crowned arms of Liechtenstein — a quartered shield bearing the imperial eagle, three bands, a crowned lion, and a hunting horn — occupy the central field, surmounted by a princely crown. Eight six-pointed stars, arranged four to each side of the shield, flank the arms, with three additional stars disposed below. The circular legend FÜRSTENTUM LIECHTENSTEIN runs along the upper periphery, while the denomination 20 Fr. and the Bern mint mark B appear in the lower field, all within a beaded border. |
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| Reverse lettering | FÜRSTENTUM LIECHTENSTEIN B 20 Fr. (Translation: Principality of Liechtenstein 20 francs) |
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| Additional information |
Liechtenstein has no mint of its own and has historically contracted production to Bern. This 1946 issue was struck at the Swiss Federal Mint, a relationship the principality depended on throughout the twentieth century for all its coinage needs. Franz Josef II, who came to power in 1938, used these gold issues partly to assert a quiet financial independence — Liechtenstein had formally ended its customs union with Austria after WWI and aligned itself economically with Switzerland, a pivot that shaped every aspect of its monetary output for decades.
Mintage for the 1946 date was extremely limited, and the coin saw essentially no circulation.