The Twenty 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 coins are non-circulating legal tender made for collectors. They are issued in topical series, celebrating various aspects of Swiss heritage or nature.
The edge is usually 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 is the second of four releases in a series featuring Landscapes and Legends of Switzerland, and is dedicated to the legend of the Snake Queen.
According to the legend, a witch turned a young princess into a snake, after the princess had shown disrespect to the witch's pet snake. The witch also gave her a small crown, but the Snake Queen eventually lost it. After it changed hands several times, the crown was eventually destroyed, and the princess became a young woman again. |