Numismatica Genevensis will offer Swissmint pattern coins at auction December 9-10, 2024. Some of these patterns belong to a commemorative coin that will not even be released until 2025. All of these patterns are true rarities – ranging from unique to a maximum of four pieces in existence!
* * *
By Ursula Kampmann on behalf of Numismatica Genevensis ……
Patterns are an important part of the coin production process. They serve as prototype coins – the result of minting engineers trying out different options to produce the most beautiful coin possible. Jan Niklas Betz, Deputy General Manager and Head of Marketing and Sales at Swissmint, explains how important they are:
“These patterns are unique pieces that are produced in our mint as we move towards the final version of a commemorative coin. Aspects such as frosting, finishing, striking, appearance, minting pressure and other quality and visual characteristics are tested to ensure that every coin that leaves our mint is of the highest quality. So far, these patterns have always been destroyed at the end of the production process.”
This changed in 2024. Swissmint is now offering its patterns for sale in collaboration with Numismatica Genevensis and SINCONA. This is a great opportunity for collectors to acquire pieces that document the creation process of official Swiss commemorative coins. But these pieces are also of interest to investors. After all, they are true rarities created by a state mint that have tiny mintage numbers. Numismatica Genevensis offers unique pieces as well as coins of which only two, three or four specimens exist.
Technical Patterns – The Press Force
This means that patterns tell us what a coin might have looked like. Switzerland has a long tradition in this area. The Vreneli with the “forehead curl” and the Durussel pattern are both coveted rarities among Swiss collectors.
There is, however, a crucial difference between these patterns and contemporary specimens.
In the past, patterns showed different motifs. Based on these patterns, politicians decided whether the design of a new commemorative coin met their expectations. This is no longer necessary today. For one, the decision-making process is different, and secondly, design technologies have been perfected to such an extent that it is no longer necessary to check the motif on the minted coin.
For this reason, today’s patterns are the result of minting engineers trying out different technical parameters. In most cases, the question is how much pressure the minting press needs to apply to achieve the best result. The lower the press force, the fewer dies need to be produced, making the entire production process more energy-efficient.
Let us take the example of the 25-franc piece of 2024. This series, of which only 5,000 specimens were produced, is a tribute to Swiss coinage.
The design of the obverse is based on patterns issued for a planned first gold issue in Switzerland. Jürg Richter believes that around 200 of these pieces were created in 1871. They are currently sold at well over CHF 15,000. The reverse of the 25-franc commemorative coin of 2024 is reminiscent of the enigmatic 25-franc pieces of 1955, which were melted down after 1999 except for very few specimens.
When Swissmint prepared the commemorative coin series, the minting engineers tested a minimum press force of 60 tons. The result shows that this low press force was not enough to create a clearly minted specimen: while the slightly raised motifs are visible, it was not enough to create the lettering. At 160 tons, on the other hand, every detail is visible, including the hatching of the coat of arms.
Incidentally, neither solution was chosen for the final coin: in order to use as few dies as possible, a press force of 99 tons was applied – but as this did not create a clearly visible motif, the process was repeated three times per piece.
The Swissmint patterns produced for this piece may turn out to be particularly interesting in this auction, as the story of this commemorative coin is likely to continue. It has been said that Swissmint is considering offering a 25-franc gold coin with the same design from 2026 onwards – only the year will be adapted. The coins will be sold at a price as close to the gold price as possible.
While engineers test a wide range of parameters when it comes to a gold coin that is only produced once a year, they know precisely how much pressure is needed more or less to produce a 20-franc silver commemorative coin. Therefore, tests for such coins happen in a more limited range. In the case of the Schilthorn commemorative coin, the range was “only” between 110 and 121 tons.
Frosting
In addition to the press force, one of the most important decisions in the minting process is to determine the frosting of a die so that it can achieve the best effect. A good example of this is the view through the rifle scope on the commemorative coin issued for the 200th anniversary of the Swiss Shooting Sport Federation. The frosting is much stronger on one pattern while it is barely visible on the other.
Patterns for a New Denomination
In 2025, Swissmint will mint a 100-franc gold coin for the first time in exactly 100 years. The first tests with the new blanks took place in 2024. As no decision had yet been taken regarding the motif, an existing design was used. In 2022, a gold commemorative coin of 50 francs was issued to celebrate the last issue of the 10-franc Vreneli in 1922. A pair of dies with a larger diameter was made from the previous dies to fit the new blank size. These dies were used to create the first patterns. These technical patterns helped to define the specifications of the final dies, which will not be unveiled until next year.
“E” for Essai
All Swissmint patterns show an “E” with the Swiss cross in a circle in a subtle position. It is always there, even though it is sometimes barely visible on coins created with a reduced press force.
You can find all Swissmint pattern coins in the catalogue for auction 20 of Numismatica Genevensis (NGSA). NGSA’s auctions 19 to 21 will take place from December 9-10, 2024. All catalogues can be found online at www.ngsa.ch. Print catalogues can be ordered from Numismatica Genevensis SA, Rue François-Bellot 4, CH-1206 Genève, phone: +41 / 22 / 320 46 40, email: [email protected].
* * *