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20 Francs - Federal Treasury German text
| Issuer | Swiss Federal Treasury (Eidgenössische Staatskasse) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1914 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Designer(s) | Ernst Stückelberg |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Blue-toned reverse with an elaborate symmetrical guilloche underprint covering the entire surface. The denomination numeral 20 appears in large bold type within ornate floral medallions at left and right, while the trilingual denomination inscription is centered in bold letterpress. Repeated small numeral 20 elements are woven throughout the guilloche border design. |
| Reverse lettering | 20 VINGT FRANCS ZWANZIG FRANKEN VENTI FRANCHI 20 |
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| Comments |
Switzerland's Federal Treasury — not the Swiss National Bank — issued this note as a wartime emergency measure in August 1914, days after general mobilization was declared. The SNB lacked the statutory authority to issue small denominations quickly enough, so the Confederation stepped in directly. These Kassenscheine were a stopgap, never intended for long-term circulation.
Stückelberg was a Basel painter of considerable reputation, better known for monumental historical canvases than banknote work. His involvement here was part of a broader pre-war commissioning effort to produce notes with genuine artistic credentials rather than purely commercial engraving.
The German-language version is one of three parallel issues — French and Italian texts were printed simultaneously to serve Switzerland's linguistic regions.