Swiss Confederation, 5 Francs 1851

The motif of the seated Helvetia, surrounded by a crest of alpine flowers overlooking the Swiss mountains, is based on a sketch by the artist Antoine Bovy from Geneva. The seated Helvetia as a personification of Switzerland has a long tradition, its roots going as far back as the classical antiquity. The personifications of Berna, Basilea, Geneva, Britannia and the American Liberty are closely related. The Swiss federal currency, created in 1850, is still in use today.