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The country's name is on all the coins as "Confoederatio Helvetica", the Latin name of the Swiss Confederation, or "Helvetia" specified. The oldest coins are still valid today; the 10-centime coins dating back to 1879. They are therefore among the oldest still valid coins worldwide. To date, they have the same design and the same alloy (copper, nickel). Until 1967, the circulating coins with face values of 1/2 franc to 5 francs were of silver alloy. These were withdrawn because the price of silver alloy exceeded the face value.
Since 2004, moreover, the existing pure nickel 20-centime coins of the years 1881-1938 have been withdrawn from circulation because machines can not detect them. Today, all the coins except the 5-centime coin (aluminum bronze) are in copper nickel alloy.
7 coins are currently in circulation:
| Image | Value | Diameter | Thickness | Mass | Composition | Edge | Obverse | Reverse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 cents | 17.15 mm | 1.25 mm | 1.8 g | 92% Cu, 6% Al, 2% Ni | Plain | Libertas head (often misinterpreted as Helvetia) | Value | |
| 10 cents | 19.15 mm | 1.45 mm | 3 g | 75 % Cu, 25 % Ni | Plain | Libertas head (often misinterpreted as Helvetia) | Value | |
| 20 cents | 21.05 mm | 1.65 mm | 4 g | 75 % Cu, 25 % Ni | Plain | Libertas head (often misinterpreted as Helvetia) | Value | |
| 50 cents | 18.20 mm | 1.25 mm | 2.2 g | 75 % Cu, 25 % Ni | Milled | Standing Helvetia | Value | |
| 1 Franc | 23.20 mm | 1.55 mm | 4.4 g | 75 % Cu, 25 % Ni | Milled | Standing Helvetia | Value | |
| 2 Franc | 27.40 mm | 2.15 mm | 8.8 g | 75 % Cu, 25 % Ni | Milled | Standing Helvetia | Value | |
| 5 Franc | 31.45 mm | 2.35 mm | 13.2 g | 75 % Cu, 25 % Ni | Inscribed | Alpine herdsman (often misinterpreted as William Tell) | Value |