Banknotes of the Swiss franc (CHF) are issued by the Swiss National Bank in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1,000 Swiss francs.
Between 2016 and 2019, the eighth series, while remaining valid, was being replaced by the ninth series. All banknotes starting from the sixth series are exchangeable; banknotes from the fifth series ceased to be valid and were fully demonetised on 1 May 2000.
History The first banknotes in Switzerland were issued in 1825 by the Caisse de dépôt of the city of Bern.; A. Meier: Monnaies....
During the 19th century the cantons (states) of Switzerland had the right to print their own notes. Following the law of 8 March 1881, the Swiss National Bank obtained the exclusive right to issue banknotes in Switzerland. Its first notes were issued in 1907. Since then, nine series of Swiss franc notes have been printed, six of which have been released for use by the general public, with a new series beginning release in 2016.
Switzerland is unusual among affluent countries in that it used to expire its banknotes; the Swiss National Bank has declared several older series of banknotes to be no longer legal tender some time after introducing newer series. Notes from these "recalled" series could be exchanged for still-valid notes at the National Bank for up to 20 years after the date of recall, after which the notes would lose their fungible value. When the recalled series become valueless, the National Bank would transfer an amount of money equal to the sum of the now-worthless notes to a state-run last-resort disaster insurance fund, the Swiss Fund for Aid in Cases of Uninsurable Damage by Natural Forces. In June 2019, the Swiss parliament passed a bill that removed the twenty-year time limit. Effective 1 January 2020, all banknotes starting from the sixth series issued in 1976 as well as any future series remain valid and can be exchanged for current notes indefinitely.
In April 2021, the Swiss National Bank announced that it was recalling its eighth series of banknotes issued between 1995 and 1998; the series was replaced by the ninth series launched between 2016 and 2019. In May 2021, the old banknotes lost their status as legal tender and are no longer valid for payments.
Overview Overview of all series of Swiss banknotesAll banknote series of the SNB, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 1 June 2007.SeriesIntroductionDate recalledValueless sinceDesignerRemark1st19071 July 19251 July 1945Josef Storck and Albert WalchChangeover notes, similar to notes used by earlier banks2nd19111 October 19581 October 1978Eugène Burnand, Ferdinand Hodler, S. Balzer3rd19181 July 19251 July 1945Orell FüssliWar notes; only partially issued4th — — —Victor Surbeck and Hans ErniReserve series, never issued5th19561 May 19801 May 2000 Pierre Gauchat and Marcus Korsten6th19761 May 2000—Ernst and Ursula HiestandNo longer legal tender, can be exchanged at full nominal value at Swiss National Bank7th — — —Elisabeth and Roger PfundReserve series; never issued8th1995 to 199830 April 2021 —Jörg ZintzmeyerRecalled 30 April 20219th12 April 2016 — —Manuela PfrunderCurrent series; introduced 2016 to 2019
All series of Swiss banknotes First series 1st series of Swiss banknotesFirst banknote series 1907, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 1 June 2007. Image Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal lapse 50 francs166 × 103 mmGreen/YellowHelvetiaOrnaments 20 June 1907 1 July 1925 1 July 1945100 francs183 × 116 mmBlue500 francs199 × 126 mmGreen1000 francs215 × 132 mmPurple
Second series The second series of Swiss banknotes was issued between 1911 and 1914.
2nd series of Swiss banknotesSecond banknote series 1911, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 1 June 2007. Image Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of Notes Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal lapse5 francs148 × 70 mmBrown/GreenWilliam TellOrnaments 3 August 1914 1 May 1980 1 May 2000 10 francs135 × 82 mmBrown/YellowWoman from Neuchâtel—Reserve note20 francs163 × 95 mmBlue/purpleVreneli31 July 191431 December 19351 January 195650 francs165 × 106 mmGreenWoman's headWoodcutter22 December 19111 October 19581 October 1978100 francs181 × 115 mmDark blueReaper16 September 1911500 francs200 × 125 mmRed/BrownEmbroideres24 December 19121000 francs216 × 131 mmPurpleFoundry16 September 1911
Third series The third series of Swiss banknotes was printed in 1918; some of the notes were issued as war notes, while others were kept as reserve.Third banknote series 1918, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 1 June 2007.
Fourth series The fourth series of Swiss banknotes was printed in 1938 as a reserve series and was never issued.
4th series of Swiss banknotesFourth banknote series 1938, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 1 June 2007. Image Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse 50 francs167 × 96 mmGreenWoman's headBull Never issued (reserve series) 100 francs190 × 106 mmBlueWoman from Haslital Ornaments 500 francs210 × 116 mmBrown-redWoman's headChemistry 1000 francs228 × 125 mmPurpleTurbine
Fifth series The fifth series of Swiss banknotes was issued starting in 1957.
5th series of Swiss banknotesFifth banknote series 1957, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 30 September 2007. Image Value Dimensions Main colour Description Designer Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal lapse 10 francs137 × 75 mmRed-brownGottfried KellerBennet blossoms Hermann Eidenbenz1 October 1956 1 May 1980 1 May 200020 francs155 × 85 mmBlueGuillaume-Henri DufourThistle29 March 195650 francs173 × 95 mmGreenHead of a girlApple harvest Pierre Gauchat14 June 1957100 francs191 × 105 mmDark blueHead of a boySt Martin500 francs210 × 115 mmBrown-redHead of a womanFountain of Youth 1000 francs228 × 125 mmPurpleDanse Macabre
Sixth series 6th series of Swiss banknotesSixth banknote series 1976, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 1 June 2007. Image Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse issue withdrawal lapse 10 francs137 × 66 mmRedLeonhard EulerWater turbine, the Solar System and a scheme of propagation of rays of light passing through lenses5 November 1979 1 May 2000 none (abolished) 20 francs148 × 70 mmBlueHorace-Bénédict de SaussureMountain range, a group of alpinists and the Ammonshorn4 April 1979 50 francs159 × 74 mmGreenConrad GessnerEagle owl, primula, stars4 October 1978 100 francs170 × 78 mmDark blueFrancesco BorrominiUpper part of the dome-tower as well as the floor plan of the church Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza4 October 1976 500 francs181 × 82 mmBrownAlbrecht von HallerMuscular figure of a human body, graph of respiration and the circulation of the blood, and a purple orchis4 April 1977 1000 francs192 × 86 mmPurpleAuguste ForelThree ants and a cross-section of an anthill4 April 1978
Seventh series A seventh series of Swiss banknotes was designed and printed in 1984, in parallel with the sixth series, but was never released. It formed the reserve series, to be released, for example, if the current series were suddenly to become widely counterfeited. At first, almost no information was released on the series for security reasons, except for small fragments. However, after the eighth series was released, it was decided to improve the security features of the current series rather than develop a new reserve series. The details of the seventh series were later released, while the actual banknotes were destroyed. The designers were Roger Pfund and Elisabeth Pfund. They had originally won the competition for the design of the sixth series, but since the Swiss National Bank decided to use the design by Ernst and Ursula Hiestand instead, the Pfunds were charged with the design of the reserve series.Seventh banknote series, on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 30 September 2007.Jean-Marc Côté, "Habiller l'argent : Roger Pfund ", Bulletin de l'Association des Numismates Francophones du Canada. Last accessed 1 June 2007.
7th series of Swiss banknotes Image Value Dimensions Main colour Description Date of issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse 10 francs137 × 66 mmRed-brownLeonhard Euler; development of the polyhedron, the bridges of KönigsbergGamma function; table for the calculation of numbers; diagram of the Solar System Never issued (reserve series) 20 francs148 × 70 mmBlueHorace-Bénédict de Saussure; quartz crystals; Hornblende beamHair hygrometer, view of the valley of Chamonix and the Mont Blanc massif; expedition to the Tacul glacier 50 francs159 × 74 mmGreenConrad Gessner; branch of a dwarf cherry tree; foliage of the bushGolden eagle (based on a woodcut from Gessner's ); "Metamorphosis of animals"; Latin text from the Historiae Animalium referring to the seven-headed hydra 100 francs170 × 78 mmDark blueFrancesco Borromini; architectural motif from the Basilica of St. John LateranRaising of the lantern and the spire of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza; floor plan of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane; dove and olive branch 500 francs181 × 82 mmBrownAlbrecht von Haller; hexagonal structure of the cell; cell tissue18th century anatomy plate; x-ray of the human thorax; mountains, referring to his poem "The Alps" 1000 francs192 × 86 mmPurpleLouis Agassiz; structure of the surface of a shellfishHead, skeleton and fossil of a perch; structure of the scales of a perch; ammonite
Eighth series The eighth series of Swiss franc banknotes, designed by Jörg Zintzmeyer, entered circulation in 1995. They were withdrawn in 2021. It also marked a shift in denominations, as the 500 francs note was dropped in favour of the new 200 francs note.
Eight series (1995–1998) Image Value Dimensions(mm) Maincolour Description Issue Withdrawn Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse 10 francs 74 × 126 Yellow Le Corbusier Ground plan,government districtof Chandigarh, India 8 April 1995 30 April 2021 20 francs 74 × 137 Red Arthur Honegger Pacific 231 1 October 1994 50 francs 74 × 148 Green Sophie Taeuber-Arp Tête Dada, 1919 3 October 1995 100 francs 74 × 159 Blue Alberto Giacometti L'Homme qui marche I 1 October 1998 200 francs 74 × 170 Brown Charles Ferdinand Ramuz Lac de Derborence(Les Diablerets), Lavaux 1 October 1997 1000 francs 74 × 181 Purple Jacob Burckhardt Palazzo Strozzi, Florence 1 April 1998
Ninth series In 2005, the Swiss National Bank held a competition to determine the design of the next series of banknotes. The competition was won by Manuel Krebs, but his designs, which include depictions of blood cells and embryos, were met with sufficient opposition from the general public as to discourage the bank from going forward with them. As a result, the ninth series of Swiss franc banknotes was based on designs by second place finalist Manuela Pfrunder.New banknotes project on the website of the Swiss National Bank. Last accessed 1 June 2007. The series was scheduled to be issued around 2010 but was delayed to 2015 due to technical problems in the production.Press release of 13 december 2012: Issue of new banknote series delayed. Last accessed 5 September 2012 The new 50-franc banknote was issued on 12 April 2016, followed by the 20-franc banknote on 17 May 2017, the 10-franc banknote on 18 October 2017, the 200-franc banknote on 22 August 2018, the 1,000-franc banknote on 13 March 2019 and the 100-franc banknote on 12 September 2019.