Swissmint announces limited-edition Animal of the Year 2026 coin

To honour Pro Natura’s Animal of the Year 2026, Swissmint is set to release a limited number of bimetallic 10-franc coins featuring hedgehogs. Sales start March 19 at 8am.

Swissmint limited-edition 10-franc coin announced

Swissmint, the national coin supplier, has announced that it will release a 10-franc bimetallic coin to mark Switzerland’s animal of the year for 2026: the hedgehog. 

The hedgehog was chosen by Pro Natura as Animal of the Year 2026 and represents “biodiversity, nature conservation, and the close connection between humans and the environment in Switzerland”, according to a Swissmint press release.

The 10-franc coin will be released for sale on Thursday, March 19, at 8am via the Swissmint online shop.

Image credit: Swissmint

Swissmint coin recognises the hedgehog

The limited-edition coin will be made of aluminium bronze and copper-nickel. There will be 7.500 uncirculated pieces available for 15 Swiss francs each and 2.500 polished plate pieces available for 55 Swiss francs each. 

One side of the coin will feature pictures of hedgehogs with the outside of the coin inscribed with Tier des Jahres (animal of the year) and hedgehog in all four of the country’s national languages (Igel, Riccio, Hérisson and Erizun). 

The reverse of the coin shows “an artistic interpretation of the hedgehog’s nocturnal world”, depicting hedgehog spikes that create a silhouette of the moon and a background of stars. The design “reinforces the connection between the animal and its natural habitat”. 

Mark your diary and head to the Swissmint website if you want to get your hands on one!