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5 Francs Head of Helvetia
| Issuer | Swiss Confederation |
|---|---|
| Year | 1888-1916 |
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| Composition | Silver (.900) (10% copper) |
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| Obverse description | Left-facing draped bust of Helvetia, the allegorical personification of Switzerland, wearing a wreath of alpine flowers and edelweiss over her elaborately coiffed hair, which is gathered in loose curls at the nape. The effigy, engraved in high relief in the neoclassical style by Antoine Bovy, occupies the central field. The curved legend CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA runs along the upper periphery, with the date flanked by a star appearing at the lower right, all within a fine beaded border. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | 1888 B - rare - 25,000 1888 B - Specimen - 1889 B - - 225,000 1889 B - Specimen - 1890 B - - 305,000 1890 B - Specimen - 1891 B - - 150,000 1891 B - Specimen - 1892 B - - 190,000 1892 B - Specimen - 1894 B - rare - 34,000 1894 B - Specimen - 1895 B - rare - 46,000 1895 B - Specimen - 1896 B - Specimen - 1896 B - ultra rare - 2,000 1900 B - Specimen - 1900 B - very rare - 33,000 1904 B - - 40,000 1904 B - Specimen - 1907 B - - 277,000 1907 B - Specimen - 1908 B - - 200,000 1908 B - Specimen - 1909 B - - 120,000 1909 B - Specimen - 1912 B - - 11,000 1912 B - Specimen - 1916 B - - 22,000 1916 B - Specimen - |
| Additional information |
Switzerland's federal coinage authority struggled for decades to maintain consistent silver quality against the pressures of the Latin Monetary Union, which Switzerland had joined in 1865. The 5-franc piece occupies a peculiar position in that arrangement: technically a trade-weight coin heavy enough to circulate on bullion value alone, yet subject to the LMU's fineness agreements that periodically forced member states to recall and remelt earlier issues.
Production across this type's 28-year run was notably uneven, with certain years seeing mintages in the low tens of thousands — figures that explain the difficulty in assembling complete date runs today.