It’s been a while since we wrote about a Swiss Mint release, but it was hard to ignore their latest issue given how little aviation seems to feature on modern coins. Switzerland itself had a presence in early aviation, mainly around the late 1800s, and centred around balloons, leading to the formation of a military balloon corps in 1900, which was used for observation. The corps was dissolved before the outbreak of WW2, as they’d become functionally useless in a world of 300mph+ aircraft.

Aircraft were experimented with during WW1, using French aircraft, and the Häfeli DH-1, a home-grown design of dubious ability. The Swiss Air Force was created as an autonomous unit in 1936, and was ineffective in WW2, with Swiss airspace being violated over 6,500 times. It’s understandable given where Switzerland is located. The Swiss Air Force has used a wide variety of aircraft, from Messerschmidt Bf109s, through a run of British jet fighters, to the F35 (coming in 2027/8).

The coin covers both angles, with the reverse face featuring a scene of various balloons, including some of the weirder early types, soaring over an alpine vista in Saanenland. The title ‘Pioneers of Swiss Aviation’ is inscribed in Swiss. The obverse has one of those stylised designs the Swiss Mint does so well, with a propeller and, I think, a turbofan, contrasting the advancements in technology. Aviation coins are always good for me, and this is a neat twist on the genre.

It’s a 20 gram fine silver coin, available in a choice of two finishes. The best strike will be the proof coin, which comes boxed, and has a mintage capped at 3,500 units. The bulk of the mintage will be 7,500 uncirculated quality coins, which have an identical specification, but don’t come in a box. The price difference is stark, however, with the former at 79 CHF, and the latter at a bargain 25 CHF. It’s no surprise the latter sold so quickly! Available now.