Swiss 20 Francs Gold Pattern

What sets this 1925 Swiss 20 Franc gold pattern apart is its status as a trial strike, minted during Switzerland's cautious navigation of post-World War I gold standards, with a design that subtly incorporated alpine motifs but was ultimately shelved.

These patterns were produced in small quantities, likely at the Bern mint, as experiments to refine the nation's coinage amid economic uncertainty. The obverse typically bore a portrait of a Swiss woman, symbolizing Helvetia, while the reverse featured a wreath or shield—details that hint at the conservative evolution of Swiss numismatics. We don't know the exact number struck, as records from that era are spotty.

One oddity: Pattern coins like this one often end up in collections, where they're treated like the real deal, but they're more like sketches than finished art.