Time Period: 1799-1803

Currency: 1st Helvetian Franc

Transition
-
Sub-units
Franc / 10 Batzen / 10 Rappen
ISO4217
none

Timeline

25.06.1798
Coinage act (provisional) on the adoption of the standard of Berne for the coins of the Helvetian Republic; effective immediately
??.07.1798
Start of issuance of the new coinage, the old coins were not withdrawn
19.03.1799
Coinage Act of the Helvetian Republic; effective immediately

Valuation Regimes

1799-1803
Metallic currency based on circulating silver and gold coins. Base weight is the Parisian mark / 8 onces / 8 gros / 3 deniers / 24 grains at 244.752 grams.

Rate Arrangements

19.03.1799
Metallic
Franc: 431.93mg AU fine & 6'614.94mg AG fine
Doubloon of 16 Francs at 144 Parisian grains of 21²²⁄₃₂-carats gold and 37 Francs to the Parisian mark of fine silver => AU : AG = 15.313

Time Period: 1803-1850

Currency: 2nd Swiss Franc

Transition
-
Sub-units
Franc / 10 Batzen / 10 Rappen
ISO4217
none

Timeline

19.02.1803
FR:30 Plu XI
Constitution ["Acte de Médiation"]: chapter 20, $7, on the creation of a common coinage standard (unspecified) with exclusive coinage right with the individual Cantons; effective 10.03.1803
11.08.1803
Resolution of the Swiss Diet on the determination of the coinage standard; effective 13.06.1804
27.07.1804
Resolution of the Swiss Diet on the coin issuance by the individual Cantons; effective 10.07.1805
27.06.1810
Resolution of the Swiss Diet on a (minor) reduction of the weight of the silver coins; effective immediately
09.09.1814
Treaty between the 22 sovereign Cantons replacing the 1803 constitution, coinage and in particular a common standard was not part of the agreement; effective 07.08.1815
14.07.1819
Resolution of the Swiss Diet on a common coinage standard; effective immediately.
- Ratified by 19 of 22 Cantons, not adopted by Geneva, Grisons, Saint-Gall.
09.07.1824
Resolution of the Swiss Diet on a 20 years' suspension of subsidiary coin issuance (to remedy the coinage situation); effective immediately.
- Ratified by 16 of 22 Cantons, partially adopted by Glarus, not adopted by Geneva, Grisons, Saint-Gall, Ticino, Thurgau.
- Could not be implemented and was revoked on 24.07.1828.
17.04.1825
Inter-cantonal agreement ["Münzkonkordat"] between 6 Cantons (Aargau, Basel, Berne, Freiburg, Solothurn, Vaud) on a common standard for subsidiary coins; effective 01.01.1826
1826-1850
Paper money issuance by cantonal and regional commercial banks in different currencies:
- Notes issued in French Francs (denominated as "French Thalers of 5 Francs") by commercial banks in Basel, Berne, and Vaud
- Notes issued in Genevan Francs by commercial banks in Geneva.
- Notes in Southern German Guilders by commercial banks in Saint Gall
- Notes issued in Brabant Thalers by commercial banks in Zurich.

Valuation Regimes

1799-1815
Metallic currency based on circulating silver and gold coins. Base weight is the Parisian mark / 8 ounces / 24 deniers / 24 grains at 244.752 grams.
1815-1850
No country-wide currency. In 1819, almost all Cantons agreed on a common accounting standard, but no gold and only few silver coins were issued. Base weight was the Parisian mark / 8 ounces / 24 deniers / 24 grains at 244.752 grams.

Rate Arrangements

11.08.1804
Metallic
Franc: 435.54mg AU fine & 6'758.19mg AG fine
Franc at 8¹⁄₅ Parisian grains of fine gold and Franc at 127¹⁹⁄₈₀ Parisian grains of fine silver => AU : AG = 15.517
27.06.1810
Metallic
Franc: 435.54mg AU fine & 6'758.19mg AG fine
Franc at 8¹⁄₅ Parisian grains of fine gold and Franc at 126⁹⁹⁄₁₀₀ Parisian grains of fine silver => AU : AG = 15.487
14.07.1819
Metallic
Franc: 430.11mg AU fine & 6'666.67mg AG fine
Franc at 8^9'086⁄_93'000 (in practice 8¹⁄₁₀) Parisian grains of fine gold and Franc at 125^1'543⁄_3'000 Parisian grains of fine silver => AU : AG = 15.500

Time Period: 1850-

Currency: 3rd Swiss Franc

Transition
145.97 : 100
Sub-units
Franc / 100 Rappen
ISO4217
CHF

Timeline

12.09.1848
Federal Constitution [§36] abolishes the Cantons' coinage right; effective immediately
07.05.1850
Law ["Bundesgesetz über das eidgenössische Münzwesen"] on the introduction of the new currency in the French silver standard; effective 01.08.1851
13.12.1850
Law on the withdrawal and exchange of the Cantonal coins, the details were specified in an ordinance of 11.03.1851; effective on Cantonal levels between 01.08.1851 and 01.06.1852.
- The coinage exchange got implemented until 31.12.1852 (with Grisons and Ticino being the last Cantons).
1850-1910
Paper money issuance by cantonal and regional commercial banks:
- 08.03.1881: Law ["Bundesgesetz über die Ausgabe und Einlösung von Banknoten"] on the regulation of paper money issuance by commercial banks (based on an earlier law of 18.09.1875 which was not implemented); effective 01.01.1882
- 13.10.1885: Ordinance ["Regulativ über die Einlösung der alten Banknoten durch die Staatskasse"] on the withdrawal of the pre-1881 banknotes by the issuers and exchange at the State Treasury; effective 01.02.1886
- 30.06.1910: Demonetization of the private banknotes after establishment of the exclusive issuance privilege of the Swiss National Bank.
01.08.1851
Start of issuance of the new coinage (beginning with the cantons of Geneva and Vaud)
31.01.1860
Law ["Bundesgesetz über teilweise Abänderung des eidgenössischen Münzwesens"] on the switch to the bimetallic currency in French standard; effective 02.03.1860 when French and Sardinian gold coins became legal tender (issuance of Swiss gold coins began in 1883)
1860-1866
Creation of silver subsidiary coinage:
- 31.01.1860: Reduction of silver fineness of 2, 1 Franc coins to 0.800
- 01.08.1866: Adjustment of silver fineness of 2, 1, ½ Franc coins to 0.835 (alignment with Latin Monetary Union)
- 31.12.1868: Demonetization of 2, 1, ½ Franc coins made of silver 0.900
- 31.01.1878: Demonetization of 2, 1 Franc coins made of silver 0.800 (originally 31.12.1877).
06.10.1905
Law ["Bundesgesetz über Schweizerische Nationalbank"] on the establishment of the Swiss National Bank; effective upon constitution of the bank on 23.08.1906
- 20.06.1907: Start of banknote issuance.
1914-1922
Issuance of state paper money (to prevent shortage):
- 17.08.1914: Start of issuance of (emergency) notes of 20, 10, 5 Franks by the Federal Treasury ("Eidgenössische Staatskasse"); the notes had been produced during 1899-1900.
- 09.09.1914: Government resolution ["Bundesratsbeschluss über die Darlehenskasse der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft"] on the establishment of the Swiss Loan Office as emergency institute; effective upon constitution of the office on 21.09.1914.
- 25.11.1914: Start of issuance of (emergency) notes of 25 Francs by the Loan Office.
- 01.12.1920: Start of withdrawal of the Federal Treasury notes; were demonetized on 30.06.1926.
- 22.01.1924: Government resolution on the dissolution of the State Loan Office; effective 30.06.1924.
- 01.07.1924: Start of withdrawal of the State Loan Office notes; were demonetized on 30.06.1934.
1920-1927
Demonetization of foreign coinage:
- 28.12.1920: Demonetization of silver coins of the Latin Monetary Union
- 08.02.1927: Demonetization of gold coins of the Latin Monetary Union
22.12.1999
Law ["Zahlungsmittel- und Währungsgesetz"] on the abolition of the gold backing of the currency; effective immediately

Valuation Regimes

1850-1860
Metallic currency based on circulating silver coins
1860-1914
Metallic currency based on circulating gold and silver coins; convertibility was suspended on 03.08.1914
1914-1929
Variable rate around the former gold parity; convertibility re-instated on 20.12.1929
1929-1973
Fixed rate against gold (between 27.09.1936 and 17.12.1952 with about ±6% fluctuation margin)
1973-
Variable rate

Rate Arrangements

07.05.1850
Metallic
Franc: 4'500.00mg AG fine
200 Francs to the kilogram of 0.900 silver
02.03.1860
Metallic
Franc: 290.32mg AU fine & 4'500.00mg AG fine
3'100 Francs to the kilogram of 0.900 gold and 200 Francs to the kilogram of 0.900 silver => AU : AG = 15.500
03.08.1914
Variable
Initially: British Pound at 1 : 25
-
20.12.1929
Fixed
[Gold parity] 290.32mg AU fine
-
27.09.1936
Fixed
[Gold parity] 203.23mg AU fine (with fluctuation band of 190-215mg AU fine)
-30.0%
17.12.1952
Fixed
[Gold parity] 203.23mg AU fine
±0.0%
09.05.1971
Fixed
[Gold parity] 217.59mg AU fine
+7.1%
23.01.1973
Variable
initially: US Dollar at 1 : 3.706
±0.0%

End-year Forex Rates (Units per US Dollar)

Year
Code
Ratio
Rate
Delta
Comment
1946
CHF
1
4.28
±0.0%
fixed against Gold
1947
CHF
1
4.28
±0.0%
fixed against Gold
1948
CHF
1
4.28
±0.0%
fixed against Gold
1949
CHF
1
4.29
-0.3%
fixed against Gold
1950
CHF
1
4.31
-0.4%
fixed against Gold
1951
CHF
1
4.37
-1.3%
fixed against Gold
1952
CHF
1
4.28
+1.9%
fixed against Gold
1953
CHF
1
4.29
-0.2%
fixed against Gold
1954
CHF
1
4.28
+0.2%
fixed against Gold
1955
CHF
1
4.28
±0.0%
fixed against Gold
1956
CHF
1
4.29
0.0%
fixed against Gold
1957
CHF
1
4.28
+0.0%
fixed against Gold
1958
CHF
1
4.29
-0.1%
fixed against Gold
1959
CHF
1
4.32
-0.8%
fixed against Gold
1960
CHF
1
4.31
+0.4%
fixed against Gold
1961
CHF
1
4.32
-0.3%
fixed against Gold
1962
CHF
1
4.32
±0.0%
fixed against Gold
1963
CHF
1
4.32
±0.0%
fixed against Gold
1964
CHF
1
4.32
+0.0%
fixed against Gold
1965
CHF
1
4.32
0.0%
fixed against Gold
1966
CHF
1
4.32
-0.1%
fixed against Gold
1967
CHF
1
4.32
+0.1%
fixed against Gold
1968
CHF
1
4.30
+0.4%
fixed against Gold
1969
CHF
1
4.31
-0.2%
fixed against Gold
1970
CHF
1
4.32
-0.2%
fixed against Gold
1971
CHF
1
3.92
+10.0%
fixed against Gold
1972
CHF
1
3.77
+4.1%
fixed against Gold
1973
CHF
1
3.22
+16.9%
1974
CHF
1
2.54
+27.0%
1975
CHF
1
2.62
-3.0%
1976
CHF
1
2.45
+6.8%
1977
CHF
1
2.02
+21.5%
1978
CHF
1
1.63
+23.8%
1979
CHF
1
1.59
+2.3%
1980
CHF
1
1.78
-10.4%
1981
CHF
1
1.80
-1.1%
1982
CHF
1
2.00
-10.2%
1983
CHF
1
2.19
-8.5%
1984
CHF
1
2.61
-16.3%
1985
CHF
1
2.07
+26.3%
1986
CHF
1
1.62
+27.4%
1987
CHF
1
1.27
+27.6%
1988
CHF
1
1.50
-15.2%
1989
CHF
1
1.55
-2.8%
1990
CHF
1
1.29
+20.2%
1991
CHF
1
1.36
-5.2%
1992
CHF
1
1.47
-7.5%
1993
CHF
1
1.48
-0.8%
1994
CHF
1
1.31
+13.1%
1995
CHF
1
1.15
+13.3%
1996
CHF
1
1.34
-13.8%
1997
CHF
1
1.46
-8.4%
1998
CHF
1
1.37
+6.3%
1999
CHF
1
1.59
-13.5%
2000
CHF
1
1.61
-1.3%
2001
CHF
1
1.66
-3.1%
2002
CHF
1
1.38
+20.3%
2003
CHF
1
1.24
+11.5%
2004
CHF
1
1.14
+8.7%
2005
CHF
1
1.31
-13.3%
2006
CHF
1
1.22
+7.9%
2007
CHF
1
1.13
+7.5%
2008
CHF
1
1.07
+6.2%
2009
CHF
1
1.04
+3.1%
2010
CHF
1
0.93
+11.1%
2011
CHF
1
0.94
-0.8%
2012
CHF
1
0.91
+2.7%
2013
CHF
1
0.89
+2.4%
2014
CHF
1
0.99
-10.2%
2015
CHF
1
1.00
-0.7%
2016
CHF
1
1.02
-1.6%
2017
CHF
1
0.97
+4.4%
2018
CHF
1
0.98
-0.8%
2019
CHF
1
0.97
+1.6%
2020
CHF
1
0.88
+9.5%
2021
CHF
1
0.91
-3.0%
2022
CHF
1
0.92
-1.4%
2023
CHF
1
0.84
+9.8%