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 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 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.
The Mint says about the coin: Starting in Wittenberg, 500 years ago Europe was in the grip of the Reformation, which led to cultural, social and political upheaval which still has an impact today. In Switzerland, due to the action of Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin, the Reformation became an important catalyst on the road to the modern age, democracy and human rights. Like in the rest of Europe, the anniversary of the Reformation is also being celebrated in Switzerland. But it is not a celebration of Martin Luther's thesis, which according to tradition saw the light of day in Wittenberg in 1517. It is far more about the Reformation as a movement whose cultural, social and political potency still has an impact 500 years later. The main focus of the anniversary is the question of what the Reformation means for today's generation and those of tomorrow, and not a return to a mystical date in time. This brings the achievements of the Reformation into the spotlight without forgetting the drawbacks and puts it into the service of ecumenical commitment. |
Reverse | |
The reverse of the coin depicts the busts of Swiss reformer Huldrych Zwingli facing right, wearing hat, and the bust of French reformer John Calvin facing left, also wearing a Medieval hat. A letter R is overlaid on the clothes of Huldrych Zwingli below.
In small letters below left, the name of the designer BEN (Ben Pfäffli).
Around right, a large numeral 500, followed by two concentric inscriptions: JAHRE REFORMATION and ANS DE LA REFORME, meaning "500 years since the Reformation" in German and French respectively. |
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