The 100-franc gold Vreneli will be reissued to mark the 100th anniversary. It will be issued under the name "100 Years 100-Franc Vreneli", as announced by Swissmint at the World Money Fair in Berlin.
The gold coin will be available from July 1, 2025 in the Swissmint online store for 3,500 francs. Sales start at 9 am. However, you will need an eIAM login to be able to buy the Vreneli. In addition, the number of pieces has been limited to 2500, and each buyer can only purchase one of the special coins.
New edition based on the original
As on the original from 1925, the new edition will also feature a portrait of Helvetia - but frontally, symbolizing her "gaze into the future", according to Swissmint. As a sign of wisdom, she wears a laurel wreath, while the edelweiss symbolizes Switzerland.
The original bust of the 100-franc Vreneli is emblazoned on the value side of the coin. Next to it is the letter "B" - for Bern - and the signature of the artist who designed the coin: Chiara Principe.
Principe says: "Over the centuries, the perception of women in culture and art has made enormous progress - a topic that is very close to my heart. The design of the 100-franc jubilee Vreneli therefore had a profound symbolic meaning for me as a woman and an artist."
90 percent pure gold
The new edition is also made of a 900 gold alloy, which means that the 32.258 gram gold Vreneli contains 90 percent pure gold. The pure precious metal value of the 100-franc Vreneli is therefore over 2,300 francs at the current gold price.
When it was introduced, the original 100-franc Vreneli had a nominal value of 100 francs. As the price of gold rose, the gold coin became a popular collector's and investment item. Today, the auction price of the original 100-franc Vreneli is estimated at around 20,000 francs.
5,000 pieces of the original 100-franc coin were produced, of which around a quarter were melted down again.
According to Swissmint, the name "Vreneli" first appeared in writing in 1943. According to Swissmint, however, it is still not entirely certain where the name comes from: it could be that the depiction of Helvetia was more of a young girl than a mother of the country. However, it could also just be the Swiss diminutive of the name "Verena".