The Schützentaler is a commemorative coin minted for the Schützenfest or free shooting tournaments held in various cantons within the Swiss Confederation.
Initial Schützentalers were cantonal pieces, minted by the sovereign cantons of Switzerland. All of these pieces, were strictly legal tender and were minted to legal fineness, and were thus allowed to bear the denomination of 5 Frankens.
In 1865, Switzerland became a member of the Latin Monetary Union Schützentalers were not included in the mintages authorized by the Union. Therefore, these issues are commonly considered semi-medallic, though they could circulate due to their size and weight being the same as that of the regular 5 Franken issues. This series began in 1855 with the Solothurn issue and ended in 1885 with the Bern issue. The Monetary Union ceased to exist in 1927.
Most of the Schützentaler designs differ from their then existing circulating counterparts, though the pieces issued for the shooting festivals in 1851 Geneva and 1855 Solothurn are the two only exceptions.
Schützentaler designs depict cantonal or patriotic themes, such as historical military leaders or heraldry. The entire series can be distinguished from shooting medals by their adherence to the specifications of the circulating coinage then.
All talers, except for the 1861 Stans and 1874 St. Gallen issues, carries a denomination value. Although, other countries have minted coins in honour of shooting festivals or marksmanship competitions, but only Swiss pieces are considered uniquely Schützentalers.
The first Schützentaler was issued for the Chur shooting festival in 1842 and is denominated at 4 Frankens. The second, issued for 1847 Glarus, has a face value of 40 Batzen. The third, minted for the shooting festival in 1851 Geneva, is denominated at 10 Frankens.
A total of eighteen designs were struck in the 19th century, concluding with the Bern issue of 1885. All those struck from 1855 to 1885 bear the denomination of five francs. Many nineteenth-century issues were also struck in various other metals besides silver, including gold and white metal, in small quantities.
19th Century Kantonal Schützentaler
1842 Chur
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Year: 1842
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Location: Chur
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Denomination: 4 francs
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Designer(s): Karl Friedrich Voigt
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Diameter: 40 mm (1.57 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 4,256
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Notes: White metal and zinc pieces are known to have been struck. The zinc pieces were allegedly fixed in the center of a target during the shooting festival. If hit, the shooter would be given a larger award.
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Details |
Translation |
Obverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES FREISCHIESSEN IN CHUR – 1842 |
Federal Free Shoot in Chur – 1842 |
Reverse |
CANTON GRAUBÜNDEN – 4 SCHWEIZER FRANKEN |
Canton of Graubünden – 4 Swiss francs |
Edge |
EINTRACHT MACHT STARK |
Harmony is strength |
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Year: 1847
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Location: Glarus
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Denomination: 40 batzen
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Designer(s): S. Burger, Karl Friedrich Voigt
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Diameter: 40 mm (1.57 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 3,200
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Notes: 1,023 pieces melted. White metal and zinc pieces are known to have been struck. The zinc pieces were allegedly fixed in the center of a target during the shooting festival. If hit, the shooter would be given a larger award.
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Details |
Translation |
Obverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES FREYSCHIESSEN IN GLARUS – 1847 |
Federal Free Shoot in Glarus – 1847 |
Reverse |
40 Btz. |
40 batzen |
Edge |
EINTRACHT MACHT STARK |
Harmony is strength |
1851 Geneva
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Year: 1851
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Location: Geneva
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Denomination: 10 francs
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Designer(s): Antoine Bovy
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Diameter: 48 mm (1.89 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 1,000
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Notes: The design is identical to the regular 10 franc issues.
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Details |
Translation |
Obverse |
POST - TENEBRAS - LUX |
Light after darkness |
Reverse |
REPUBLIC ET CANTON DE GENEVE – 10 FRANCS 1851 |
Republic and Canton of Geneva – 10 francs 1851 |
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1855 Solothurn
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Year: 1855
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Location: Solothurn
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Antoine Bovy
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 3,000
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Notes: The design is identical to the regular 5 franc issues.
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
HELVETIA |
Switzerland |
Reverse |
5 Fr. 1855 |
5 francs 1855 |
Edge |
EIDGEN. FREISCHIESEN SOLOTHURN 1855 |
Federal free shoot Solothurn 1855 |
1857 Bern
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Year: 1857
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Location: Bern
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Ferdinand Korn
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 5,191
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Notes: Examples are known to have been struck in white metal.
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
EHRE IST MEIN HOECHSTES ZIEL |
Honor is my highest goal |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES FREISCHIESSEN IN BERN 1857 – 5 FRANKEN |
Federal free shoot in Bern 1857 – 5 francs |
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1859 Zurich
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Year: 1859
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Location: Zürich
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Ferdinand Korn
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 6,000
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES FREISCHIESSEN – 1859 |
Federal free shoot – 1859 |
Reverse |
ZÜRICH – 5 FRANKEN |
Zürich – 5 francs |
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1861 Stans
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Year: 1861
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Location: Stans
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Antoine Bovy, Lukas Ferdinand Schlöth
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 6,000
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Notes: Essai pieces are known to have been struck in white metal.
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
ARNOLD WINKELRIED |
Arnold Winkelried |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST IN NIDWALDEN – 1861 |
Federal shooting festival in Nidwalden – 1861 |
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1863 La Chaux-de-Fonds
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Year: 1863
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Location: La Chaux-de-Fonds
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Antoine Bovy, Jacob Siber
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 6,000
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Notes: Examples are known to have been struck in white metal.
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
HELVETIA – 5 FRANCS |
Switzerland – 5 francs |
Reverse |
TIR FEDERAL A LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS – JÚILLET 1863 |
Federal shoot in La Chaux-de-Fonds – July 1863 |
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1865 Schaffhausen
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Year: 1865
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Location: Schaffhausen
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Antoine Bovy
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 10,000
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Notes: Two examples are known to have been struck in gold.
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
None |
None |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST IN SCHAFFHAUSEN 1865 – 5 Fr. |
Federal shooting festival in Schaffhausen 1865 – 5 francs |
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1867 Schwyz
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Year: 1867
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Location: Schwyz
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Antoine Bovy
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 8,000
- Notes:
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
KANTON SCHWYZ |
Canton of Schwyz |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST IN SCHWYZ 1867 – 5 Fr. |
Federal shooting festival in Schwyz 1867 – 5 francs |
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1869 Zug
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Year: 1869
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Location: Zug
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Antoine Bovy
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 6,000
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Notes: Four examples are known to have been struck in gold.
|
Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
HANS LANDWING RETTET DAS PANNER BEI ARBEDO – 1422 |
Hans Landwing saves the banner at Arbedo – 1422 |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST 1869 IN ZUG – 5 Fr. |
Federal shooting festival 1869 in Zug – 5 francs |
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1872 Zürich
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Year: 1872
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Location: Zürich
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Fritz Landry
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 10,000
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Notes: The obverse design was used on a shooting medal issued for the same festival.
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
FÜR FREIHEIT UND VATERLAND |
For freedom and the fatherland |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST IN ZÜRICH 1872 – 5 Fr. |
Federal shooting festival in Zürich 1872 – 5 francs |
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1874 St. Gallen
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Year: 1874
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Location: St. Gallen
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Fritz Landry
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 15,000
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
1474 A 1476 |
1474 to 1476 |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSS. SCHÜTZENFEST IN ST. GALLEN – 1874 |
Federal shooting festival in St. Gallen – 1874 |
Edge |
None |
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1872 Lausanne
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Year: 1876
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Location: Lausanne
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Edouard Durussel
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 20,000
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Notes: The reverse design was used on a shooting medal issued for the same festival.
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
POUR ETRE FORTS SOYONS UNIS – 5 F |
Let us be strong and united – 5 francs |
Reverse |
TIR FÉDÉRAL DE 1876 LAUSANNE |
Federal shoot of 1876 Lausanne |
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1879 Basel
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Year: 1879
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Location: Basel
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Edouard Durussel
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 30,000
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Notes: Two varieties exist. One variety depicts rays between the sword and leg, while the other does not. Examples are known to have been struck in white metal.
|
Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
DAS SCHWERT ZUR HAND IM HERZEN GOTT SO WIRD D. SCHWEIZER NIE Z. SPOTT |
With sword in his hand and God in his heart, so will the Swiss never be disgraced |
Reverse |
EIDG. SCHÜTZENFEST IN BASEL 1879 – 5 Fr. |
Federal shooting festival in Basel 1879 – 5 francs |
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1881 Fribourg
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Year: 1881
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Location: Fribourg
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Edouard Durussel
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 30,000
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
ENTRÉE DE FRIBOURG & SOLEURE DANS LA CONFÉDÉRATION SUISSE – 1481 |
Entry of Fribourg and Solothurn into the Swiss Confederation – 1481 |
Reverse |
TIR FÉDÉRAL À FRIBOURG 1881 – 5 Fr |
Federal shoot in Fribourg 1881 – 5 francs |
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1883 Lugano
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Year: 1883
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Location: Lugano
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Edouard Durussel
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 30,000
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Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
LIBERTADE INERME É DE' TIRANNI AGEVOL PREDA – 5 Fr. |
Defenseless liberty is easy prey for tyrants – 5 francs |
Reverse |
TIRO FEDERALE IN LUGANO 1883 |
Federal shoot in Lugano 1883 |
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1885 Bern
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Year: 1885
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Location: Bern
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Denomination: 5 francs
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Designer(s): Edouard Durussel, Christian Bühler
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Diameter: 37 mm (1.46 in)
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Coinage metal: Silver
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Mintage: 25,000
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Notes: Examples are known to have been struck in white metal.
|
Inscription |
Translation |
Obverse |
DEM BUND ZUM SCHUTZ DEM FEIND ZUM TRUTZ |
The Federation to protect, the enemy to defy |
Reverse |
EIDGENÖSSISCHES SCHÜTZENFEST IN BERN 1885 – 5 Fr. |
Federal shooting festival in Bern 1885 – 5 francs |
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