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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Tejas, post: 8032956, member: 84905&quot;]True I guess.</p><p>I work for the Swiss National Bank (the Swiss Federal Reserve if you like). Not long ago I found a 5 Rappen (the denomination below Franc) in the cash box in our staff restaurant. The coin was from 1912. I thought that was quite impressive. The coin had circulated for over 100 years. Where else can you find this?</p><p><br /></p><p>The Swiss Franc is of course one of the most stable currencies in the world. It was partially covered by large gold reserves right into the 1990s.</p><p><br /></p><p>As for the different names: Schweiz (Standard German), Schwyz (Swiss German), Suisse (French), Swizzera (Italian),&nbsp; Svizra (Raeto-Romanic) and Helvetia or Confederatio Helvetica (Latin).</p><p><br /></p><p>Yes, Switzerland has four large language groups. The Raeto-Romanic group is the smallest group that is confined to mountainous regions in the east. On the 50-Franc bill above &quot;Tschuncanta Francs&quot; is the Raeto-Romanic. Raeto refers to the old Roman province of Raetia and Raeto-Romanic is believed to be the closest language to ancient Roman Latin still in existance.</p><p><br /></p><p>From the 3rd century the Germanic tribes of the Alamanni took over from the Romans. Swiss German is really an Alamannic dialect. </p><p><br /></p><p>Since the national identity of Switzerland had to work for all ethnic groups, the Swiss reverted to the ancient Helvetii who lived in what is now western Switzerland during the time of Caesar, for inspiration for the country&#039;s name.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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