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Circulating the Oldest Coin
Since the beginning of time, money has existed in the form of coins; however, not all ancient coins are kept on exhibit at museums. Even now, some ancient coins are accepted as forms of payment. The oldest coins in circulation today is not an American girl, but a Swiss miss. This is important information to know before you start searching through your sofa cushions for a Buffalo nickel, an Aldi quarter, or any other precious coins you might have sitting around.
Banks in Switzerland are known for their secrecy, yet a widely known fact about Swiss money gives a new meaning to the phrase “old money.” Switzerland’s Federal Mint (Switzerlandmint) has been minting 10 centime coins since 1879. In 2021, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized this denomination as the “oldest coin design still in circulation.”
Naturally, this does not imply that current Swiss pay for their chocolate and fondue with coins from the 1800s, although we hope that someone has tried. Aside from years of issues printed over the years, the coin’s design has not been altered in any way since it was first minted, which makes it unique. Even though the value of this little Swiss Franc is only around 10 cents US, it has a great deal of historical significance.
Design, Significance, and Substance
Karl Schwenzer designed the 1879 Swiss 10 centime coin, which is currently the oldest in circulation. Having worked as the royal court medalist, or coin artist, for the German state of the period, the Kingdom of Württemberg, Schwenzer was no novice to coin design at this point.
While employed by Switzerland, Schwenzer designed the coin’s obverse, or heads side, which has Liberty’s head in a right-facing profile with the words “CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA” surrounding it. The 10 centime coin’s reverse, or tails side, features the numeral “10” encircled by the leaves of two oak branches that are ribbon-tied together at the base. Although the coins was initially made of pure copper and then temporarily constructed of pure nickel between 1932 and 1939, cupronickel, a copper-nickel alloy renowned for its high melting point and corrosion resistance, has been used in its construction.
While most Swiss coins feature Liberty, another depiction of Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, with her braided hair and diadem. “CONFŒDERATIO HELVETICA” is the Swiss Confederation’s Latin name. The little “B” imprinted directly beneath the point where the branches are joined together signifies Bern, the capital city of Switzerland where the coins are made. The oak branches stand for strength.
History And Importance
A landlocked empire of chocolate, watches, and mountains is Switzerland. Switzerland has four national languages: French, German, Italian, and Romansh. This is a result of its various borders. The nation in west-central Europe is well-known for its lakes, skiing, and military neutrality. As a matter of fact, Switzerland has never been quick to unite, either among its 26 member states or with the rest of the world.
Throughout the Napoleonic Wars, Switzerland operated on a succession of alliances among its sovereign cantons for the majority of its existence until being upended by a French invasion. Intercantonal divisions continued to burn even after Napoleon’s downfall, culminating in a brief Swiss civil war in 1847. For the Swiss, unity was looking good by 1848. In 1850, the nation established a unified currency and reestablished itself as a federal state (via the Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics). That coinage would serve as the cornerstone of a newly united Switzerland, as would its exclusive federal mint, established in Bern in 1853.
If all you have is a handful of 10 centime coins, you may not have much purchasing power in contemporary Switzerland, but you will be holding a treasure of historical symbolism. The coin, which has the oldest design now in use, symbolizes Switzerland’s modern identity as a hub for wealth, tourism, and economic prosperity as well as the unification of the country through the establishment of a central federal government and the spread of democratic ideals. That’s not bad for a coin that could just enable you to buy a candy bar.
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