Swiss franc notes and coins

• Capital: Bern
• Population (2011): 7.7 million
• Total Area: 41,284 sq km
• Major Language: German, French, Italian, Romansch
• Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF)
• GDP per Capita PPP (2010): USD 46,581

1 Swiss franc = 1.09 US dollars (February 2013)

The Swiss franc is used as a reserve currency around the world and is currently ranked rarely 5th or 6th in value held as reserves after the United States dollar, the euro, the Japanese yen and the pound sterling.

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1000 francs

old 1000 francs

Obverse: Portrait of Auguste-Henri Forel (September 1, 1848 – July 27, 1931), Swiss neurologist, entomologist, neuroanatomist and psychiatrist, notable for his investigations into the structure of the human brain and that of ants. Forel considered a co-founder of the neuron theory. Forel is also known for his early contributions to sexology. Diagrams through a brain and nerve cell at left.

Reverse: Three ants and a cross-section of an anthill.

Prevailing colour - purple; Format 86 x 192 mm

Graphic artist - Ernst and Ursula Hiestand

Date of first issue - 04.04.1978; Date of recall - 01.05.2000; Worthless from 01.05.2020.

old 500 francs

Obverse: Portrait of Albrecht von Haller (16 October 1708 – 12 December 1777) , Swiss anatomist, physiologist, naturalist and poet. View of Gemmi Pass between Wallis and Berne at left.

Reverse: Muscular figure of a human body, graph of respiration and the circulation of the blood, and a purple orchis.

Prevailing colour - brown; Format 82 x 181 mm

Graphic artist - Ernst and Ursula Hiestand

Date of first issue - 04.04.1977; Date of recall - 01.05.2000; Worthless from 01.05.2020.

200 francs

100 francs

50 francs

20 francs

10 francs