Author: BigD
1049View
1m 3sLenght

Switzerland has been minting 1/2, 1, and 2 franc coins with this pattern since 1875. Helvetia is the female national personification of Switzerland, officially Confederatio Helvetica, the 'Helvetic Confederation'. Her image on the coin is the traditional one. A non-traditional rendering by ccdck appears in our secondary image. From Wikipedia: 'Helvetia is the Roman name for an ancient region of central Europe occupying a plateau between the Alps and the Jura Mountains. Helvetia corresponded roughly to the western part of modern Switzerland, and the name is still used poetically.' These coins were minted in silver until 1968, so pre-1968 coins carry bullion value as well as collector premium, the value added by demand from coin collectors. 1/2 FRANC BEFORE 1968: 0.067 troy ounces silver 1 FRANC BEFORE 1968: 0.1445 ounces silver 2 FRANC BEFORE 1968: 0.289 ounces silver Look up the value of silver at web sites such as kitco.com. Below are listings of approximate catalog values for these coins. 1/2 FRANC 1875 TO 1894 worn: $15 US dollars approximate catalog value average circulated: $50 well preserved: $120 fully uncirculated: $300 1/2 FRANC 1895 TO 1941 worn: $2 US dollars approximate catalog value average circulated: $10 well preserved: $80 fully uncirculated: $200 coins dated 1901B are more valuable, about $60 in average circulated