Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943, Coin from Switzerland - detailed information

Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943, Coin from Switzerland (demonetised 1952)
CoinTwo Centimes (Rappen) 1943

The Two Centimes coin was the second smallest circulating denomination of the Swiss Franc (after the One Centime) from its inception in 1850 until it was demonetised in 1978. Given that Switzerland has four official languages, the sub-unit of the Franc has four different names; it is centime (c.) in French, Rappen (Rp.) in German, centesimo (ct.) in Italian and rap (rp.) in Romansh. Some English-language catalogues call the coin a "2 Rappen" coin, but the English-language publications of the Swiss National Bank and Swissmint prefer the word "2 centimes".

Swissmint states that the first version of the coin was designed by Alexander Hutter and engraved by Jean-Jacques Barre of Monnaie de Paris (the Paris Mint), where Swiss coins were struck for the first couple of years after their introduction. This was used for almost a century until, in November 1947, the Swiss Federal Mint (now Swissmint) put out a call for new designs of the one and two centime coins, for which Josef Tannheimer won the first prize. Starting in 1948, these coins were minted with his designs, until they were discontinued in 2006 and 1974 respectively.

For most of its history, the denomination was struck in a bronze alloy. The exception was during the years of the Second World War, when coins (like this one) were struck in zinc.

Coins carrying the original design were demonetised on 1st February 1952; thus, coins issued in 1943 circulated for nine years.

MintSwissmint Mint MarkLetter B Total Mintage 4,499,000 (4.5 million)
Obverse
Switzerland / Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943 - obverse photo

The obverse features at its centre within a beaded circle the Swiss Coat of Arms (equilateral wide "Swiss" cross on a rounded triangular shield, thin vertical lines being a heraldic representation of the red background), with a broad-brimmed feathered hat on top, on a laurel branch (left) and an oak branch (right). The legend HELVETIA (the Latin name of the female personification of Switzerland) is around above. The date 1943 is around below.

Obverse Inscription HELVETIA 1943
Reverse
Switzerland / Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943 - reverse photo

The reverse features at its centre within a beaded circle the numeral 2 representing the value, surrounded by a laurel wreath. The mint mark B of Swissmint (previously known as the Bern / Berne Mint or the Federal Mint of Switzerland) is under the ribbon tying the wreath.

Reverse Inscription 2
EdgePlainEdge InscriptionNone
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943: References to Information Used
SourceEditionAboutLinkNotes
Swissmint 2017 Mint link
Swissmint 2017 Mintage link
All (65) coins of type: Two Centimes (Rappen)
Coin NameMintageSymbolLegend
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1850 7,290,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1850
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1851 3,720,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1851
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1866 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1866
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1870 540,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1870
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1875 984,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1875
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1879 990,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1879
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1883 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1883
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1886 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1886
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1888 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1888
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1890 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1890
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1893 2,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1893
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1896 20 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1896
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1897 487,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1897
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1898 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1898
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1899 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1899
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1900 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1900
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1902 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1902
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1903 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1903
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1904 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1904
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1906 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1906
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1907 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1907
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1908 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1908
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1909 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1909
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1910 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1910
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1912 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1912
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1913 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1913
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1914 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1914
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1915 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1915
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1918 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1918
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1919 2,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1919
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1920 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1920
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1925 1,250,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1925
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1926 750,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1926
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1927 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1927
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1928 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1928
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1929 750,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1929
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1930 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1930
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1931 1,288,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1931
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1932 1,500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1932
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1933 1,000,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1933
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1934 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1934
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1936 500,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1936
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1937 1,200,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1937
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1938 1,369,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1938
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1941 3,448,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1941
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1942 8,954,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1942
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943 4,499,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1943
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1944 8,086,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1944
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1945 3,640,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1945
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1946 1,393,000 Coat of Arms of Switzerland HELVETIA 1946
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1948 10,197,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1948
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1951 9,622,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1951
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1952 1,916,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1952
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1953 2,007,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1953
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1954 2,539,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1954
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1955 2,493,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1955
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1957 8,099,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1957
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1958 6,078,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1958
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1963 10,065,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1963
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1966 2,510,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1966
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1967 1,510,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1967
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1968 2,865,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1968
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1969 6,200,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1969
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1970 3,115,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1970
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1974 3,540,000 Swiss Cross · HELVETIA · 1974
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Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943: Details
CountrySwitzerland
CurrencySwiss Franc
Coin TypeTwo Centimes (Rappen), Hutter Design, Zinc
Issued1943
SymbolCoat of Arms of Switzerland
Face Value2 (x Centime)
Total Mintage4,499,000 (4.5 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1952
MaterialZinc
DesignerAlexander Hutter, Jean-Jacques Barre
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size20.0000 mm
Thickness1.4000 mm
Mass2.4000 g
OCC IDGAVP-OXAC-ALRA-EMDY
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Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943: Photos
ImageDetails
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943: Photo Switzerland 2 Rappen 1943 / thumbnail Switzerland 2 Rappen 1943
Copyright: numis-kimel
Source
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943: Photo Switzerland 2 Rappen 1943 / thumbnail Switzerland 2 Rappen 1943
Copyright: numis-kimel
Source
Two Centimes (Rappen) 1943: Catalogue Reference IDs
SourceReference ID
Schön, WeltmünzkatalogSchweiz Schön# 16a
Krause, Standard Catalog of World CoinsSwitzerland KM# 4.2b