The Fifty Francs coin is a denomination of the Swiss Franc. Given that Switzerland has four official languages, the Franc has three different names: Franken in German, franc in French and Romansh, and franco in Italian.
In regular circulation, the denomination is served by a banknote. These gold coins are non-circulating legal tender made for collectors and struck in proof grade only. They are issued in topical series, celebrating various aspects of Swiss heritage or nature. Swissmint has issued at least one every year since 2001. Initially, both sides of the coin carried a commemorative design; starting from 2004, the obverse is the same and only the reverse changes. (It is worth mentioning that some sources consider it the other way round, and call the commemorative part the obverse; however, we are going with the standard definition, which is that "obverse" is the side which specifies the issuing authority).
The edge is inscribed with the motto DOMINUS PROVIDEBIT (The Lord will provide - a quote from the Bible, Genesis 22, 8), and thirteen stars representing the original thirteen cantons of the Swiss Federation.
This coin commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the Swiss National Bank.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB; German: Schweizerische Nationalbank; French: Banque nationale suisse; Italian: Banca nazionale svizzera; Romansh: Banca naziunala svizra) is the central bank of Switzerland, responsible for the nation's monetary policy and the sole issuer of Swiss franc banknotes. The primary goal of its mandate is to ensure price stability, while taking economic developments into consideration. The bank formed as a result of the need for a reduction in the number of banks of issue, which numbered 53 sometime after 1826. In the 1874 revision of the Federal Constitution it was given the task to oversee laws concerning the issuing of banknotes. In 1891, the Federal Constitution was revised again to entrust the Confederation with sole rights to issue banknotes. The Swiss National Bank was founded under the law of 6 October 1905 ("the National Bank Act"), which entered into force on 16 January 1906. Business was started on 20 June 1907.
Most of the voting shares in the bank are held by public shareholders (cantons, cantonal banks, etc.), with the remaining shares largely in the hands of private persons. |
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The reverse design shows a reproduction of "The Woodcutter", painted by Ferdinand Hodler in 1908, depicting a man facing wielding an axe with both hands above his head, felling a fir tree. At his feet, the inscription F. HODLER PINX (from Latin: Ferdinand Hodler painted [this]).
Below, the abbreviation of the bank in German and in French, followed by the Swiss Cross: SNB BNS +. To the right of the woodcutter, the anniversary dates 1907 and 2007. |
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