Switzerland: New Proof Gold Coins Celebrate 200th Anniversary Of The Swiss Shooting Sports Federation

Founded at the first Federal Shooting Festival in Aarau in 1824, it was at that time still known as the Schweizer Schützenverein - SSV or, ‘Swiss Shooting Club’. However, the first historically proven shooting competitions can trace its origins four centuries earlier, back to 1442. Today the SSV is the fifth largest sports association in Switzerland with around 130,000 members. The organisation celebrates its 200th anniversary from the 16th to the 18th August, the SSV has become one of the oldest sports associations in Switzerland. The SSV’s Federal Shooting Festival is also the largest sporting event in Switzerland which can look back on 200 years of tradition. With up to 50,000 participants taking part in the multi-day event and no doubt just as many visitors, the eagerly anticipated Federal Shooting Festival only takes place every five years. 

One particular tradition which emerged from the Shooting festivals were the silver shooting thalers or, Schützenfest coins that were minted and were once very much a part of the Federal Shooting festival event. The first of these coins were struck in 1842 and described as a cantonal release which included three separate issues representing the Canton of Chur, Glarus in 1847 and Geneva in 1851. The silver coins issued during the Swiss Federation began in 1855 with the last shooting thalers being released in 1885. They were not intended as legal tender, despite the fact they were produced by the federal mint with a nominal face value. As they were minted to the official specifications of silver 5 franc coins, many of the coins freely circulated in Switzerland alongside ordinary coins. The first of these coins released by the Federal Mint was for the festival in Solothurn with a further fourteen examples over the next thirty years. Although the coins were quite popular, Swiss authorities were dissuaded from producing more of these coins with no official legal tender status by the Latin Monetary Union – LMU since Switzerland was a founding member. With the dissolution of the LMU in 1927, Switzerland’s last two silver shooting thaler coins were released in 1934 and 1939 with specific rules for use and redemption only during the festival and at the venue. In total, and of Switzerland’s then-22 cantons which comprised the federation, 18 were represented in this coin series.

The gold proof coins are produced by the Swiss Federal Mint at their facilities in Bern and are part of a two-coin series which included silver 20 Franc coins launched last year. The coins are designed by graphic artist Vito Noto from Ticino. The obverse side recreates a framed view through the barrel of a gun and at a target. This view is framed by the years 1824 and 2024 as well as 200 ANS / ANNI / ONNS / JAHRE SSV · FST. The reverse side faithfully replicates the original design seen on the first silver shooting thalers from 1842 and created by Karl Friedrich Voigt (1800 – 1874). The main motif features the shield crest of Switzerland along with four flags and two riffles crossed behind along with a Hunting horn below. A branch of Oak is shown to the left of the shield and a branch of Laurel is depicted to the right. A beret with three feathers is placed above. The text CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA 2024 surrounds the primary design with a B mintmark denoting the Berne Mint. The denomination 50 FR is placed below the crest.

Available from the 16^th August, the proof gold coins are available as follows: 4,800 coins in presentation case with certificate of authenticity - 200 coins with signed certificate from the artist. A silver 20 Franc coin released last year and this 50 Franc gold coin now completes the two-coin series. For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of Swiss Premium Editions.