On 11 June 2026, Swissmint releases the first coin in a new four part program, a 20 franc silver special coin titled “4 Seasons – Summer.” Struck in fine silver 999, it is the opening entry in a series that will run a full cycle of the year, one coin at a time.
What makes the series worth following is the idea holding it together. Rather than treat the four seasons as decoration, Swissmint has tied the whole program to why seasons exist at all, the roughly 23.5 degree tilt of the Earth’s axis and the planet’s orbit around the Sun, which together change how much light and heat any one place receives across the year.
The design
Summer is the season when the northern hemisphere leans most toward the Sun, so the Sun itself carries the obverse. It appears as a radiant disc, with the constellation typical of summer, the Summer Triangle, worked into the lower left. Running along the edge are the word “Estate,” Italian for summer, and “giugno, luglio, agosto,” the Italian names for June, July, and August.
The reverse ties back to the series concept through a stylized vegetation cycle that marks each face value, with the summer plant shown in full bloom. Around the rim sit the face value of CHF 20, the inscription “CONFOEDERATIO HELVETICA,” the 2026 mint year, and the B mint mark for Swissmint.
The coin in the hand
The specifications are conventional for a Swiss silver special coin, and that is the point, the program is built to be collected as a set rather than chased for rarity. Each piece is fine silver 999, 33 millimetres across and 20 grams in weight, with a legal face value of CHF 20.
The one detail that rewards a closer look is the finish. The proof silver coins in the series are colored in the shade typical of each season, so the set is designed to read as a progression of moods rather than four versions of the same coin. Summer arrives first; the remaining three will follow as the cycle turns.
Availability
The coin comes in a limited issue of 8,000 pieces in uncirculated quality, supplied in a blister, and 3,500 pieces in proof quality, supplied in a presentation case. The uncirculated coin is priced at CHF 65 and the proof in its presentation case at CHF 110. It is included in the Swissmint subscription, and online sales open at 08:00 on 11 June 2026 through the Swissmint webshop.
For collectors, the appeal of a first in series issue is straightforward: the opening coin sets the tone, and a complete “4 Seasons” run will only ever begin here. Summer is the easy one to like. The real test of the program will be whether the other three seasons hold the concept together, and that is a story for the next three releases.
