100 Years 100-Franc Vreneli

HELVETIA aka Vreneli

«The new coin design should use a Swiss national motif, an allegorical or historical-symbolic representation of Switzerland – Helvetia – to express this in a universally understandable way». This was how the Federal Department of Finance formulated the objective of the minting competition launched in 1895.

However, the name «Vreneli» only appeared in written form for the first time in 1943. Its exact origin remains unexplained to this day. The character was probably recognized as a young girl («Vreneli») rather than as a mother representative of the country. Others speculate that the name is derived from «Verena», a traditional German-Swiss diminutive.

The symbolism of the new coin design

Unlike the historic Vreneli, the effigy of Helvetia is presented not in profile, but from the front. Helvetia's pride in its richly traditional past, illustrated by the raised elements and its determined gaze towards the future, represented by the open surfaces, come together in a design that harmoniously combines history and vision. In this way, the coin reinterprets the design elements of the historic Vreneli with a visible respect for tradition.

«Over the centuries, the perception of women in culture and art has made enormous progress - a theme very close to my personal heart. For me, as a woman and an artist, the design of the 100-franc Vreneli jubilee therefore had a deep symbolic meaning. I hope that every Swiss woman, in particular, will feel appreciated and celebrated as a living part of Swiss history, culture and life», says the designer.

As in 1925, the gold Vreneli is made of a 900 gold alloy, has a diameter of 35mm and weighs 32.258g. On the obverse, the new gold Vreneli contains echoes of the original, combining the radiating Swiss cross above the Swiss alps with gentians and alpine roses. The image of Vreneli portrays her gazing into the future, and links old and new history. Her head is crowned with a laurel wreath as a symbol of wisdom and triumph, and the edelweiss as a symbol of Switzerland. On the right, the anniversary dates are stamped, surrounded by the words «CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA».

On the reverse, the face value of 100 francs can be seen on the left half, while the original 100-franc Vreneli bust is depicted on the right half. Additional gentians and alpine roses complete the design. The signature of the artist Chiara Principe and a «B» for Bern are finely visible.

More information about the coin: www.sondermuenze.ch