Swiss Citizens Have Their Say on New Banknotes

In last month’s Currency News™ we mused on whether inviting the public to provide input into new currency designs was a good or a bad thing. It has undoubted benefits, but also carries risks.

Those risks notwithstanding, the latest country to involves its citizens in banknote designs is Switzerland, where the Swiss National Bank has opened up the proposed themes for the next, tenth, banknote series to the public.

SNB first announced that work had begun on the country’s new banknote series last year (see CN October 2024). It had already decided on the theme – ‘Switzerland and its Altitudes’ – which will pay homage to the country’s unique mountainous topography, from the Jura and the Central Plateau to the Alps, and depict Switzerland from its deepest valleys to its highest peaks.

The first step in the process of developing the new series was to open a competition to any designer working in Switzerland. Over 300 applications were submitted. Based on the quality of their portfolio to date, the creativity of their designs, and their professional qualifications, 12 teams and individuals were selected to particate in the next stage. Their work is now being opened to the public for its say.