20 Franken / Francs / Franchi
Switzerland · Schweizerische Nationalbank / Banque nationale suisse / Banca nazionale svizzera
The 20 Franken ninth series note, designed by Manuela Pfrunder and themed on Switzerland's creativity expressed through light, depicts a hand holding a prism dispersing light into a spectrum on the obverse, with the Piazza Grande screen at the Locarno Film Festival and light-diffracting butterflies on the reverse. The 2021 print run continued regular production of this denomination as the definitive series following the official recall and demonetization of the eighth series (1995-1998) in April-May 2021. The note is printed on an innovative three-layer Durasafe substrate and the series has twice won the IBNS Banknote of the Year award.
Highlights
ReasonRegular circulation reprint of the ninth series note; the 2021 context is also linked to the final retirement of the eighth series, making the ninth series the sole legal tender
DesignObverse: hand holding a prism dispersing light, globe with constellations, kaleidoscopic background; Reverse: giant outdoor screen at Locarno Film Festival, light-diffracting butterflies, iris diagram; dominant color yellow-orange
Security featuresThree-layer Durasafe polymer-paper composite substrate, security strip with night-time light emissions map of Switzerland, microprinting listing celestial distances in light seconds, color-shifting elements, watermark, intaglio printing
Sources