100 years after they were first issued, Switzerland is set to re-release a gold coin worth 100 francs. The gold 100-franc Vreneli coins are expected to be extremely popular, as the old ones are now worth several times their original value.

Gold 100-franc coins to be issued in Switzerland

In a statement, Swissmint confirmed that it would be issuing a special 100-franc gold coin inspired by the 100-franc Vreneli minted 100 years ago. The piece will be unveiled at the World Money Fair in Berlin on January 30, before going on sale on July 1. 

The gold Vreneli coins were produced between 1897 and 1949, and were originally intended as a means of payment at Swiss supermarkets and other stores. However, a combination of inflation and an increase in gold prices meant their value as a weight of gold far exceeded their face value, making them obsolete as normal currency.

The name Vreneli was the popular name given to Helvetia, who unlike in the standard Swiss franc coins has a full side portrait on one side of the piece, along with the outline of some mountains. While the 20 franc Vrenli was minted for over 50 years, and the 10-franc Vreneli was produced from 1911 to 1922, the 100-franc version was only minted in 1925, making them incredibly rare - Swissmint estimates that of the 5.000 100-franc Vrenelis, a quarter were melted down. 

Today, the old Vrenelis are a highly sought-after commodity, especially as a collector’s item. According to estimates from Watson, the coins typically sell at auction for more than 20.000 francs each.

Swissmint produces 70 million coins in a year

The new 100-franc gold coin is one of seven special coins that will be issued by the mint in Bern in the next year, with the others commemorating institutions like the CERN centre in Geneva, the 150th anniversary of the Federal Supreme Court in Lausanne and the artist Jean Tinguely. 

It tops off what has been a busy 12 months for the mint, with Swissmint director of marketing Jan Niklas Betz telling Watson that it had produced 70 million regular Swiss franc coins in 2024, more than triple the number minted in 2023.

However, the gold Vrenelis are going to cost a pretty penny, with independent coin experts expecting a price of 3.000 francs. However, they also said that these coins will be worth significantly more in the coming years, with Betz adding that they expect the coins to sell out very quickly.