The surprising boom of Switzerland’s least-loved coin

Switzerland’s five-centime coin – or five-Rappen if you’re in the German-speaking part of the country – is definitely one of the least popular coins in Swiss wallets, often ending up abandoned in drawers. But despite its impracticality, the number in circulation has increased more over the past decade than any other Swiss coin. The Swiss like money and generally have lots of it. The second of these clichés is debatable, but the first seems to correspond to reality. Just look at how excited many people get about the latest series of banknotes and how the website of the national mint, Swissmint, illustrates each series with anecdotes and quirky facts about its production. However, it has to be said that not every coin and not every banknote enjoys the same affection or notoriety. One of the “stars” of Swiss numismatics is without doubt the five-franc coin, which features the face of a shepherd (no, it’s not William Tell) with the smug expression of someone who knows his value. The ...