Shooting thaler
A Schützentaler is a shooter medal in Taler size. In a narrower sense, it refers to only the coinage of Switzerland, which were partially used as means of payment and therefore not only have the character of medals, but also of commemorative coins.
History
At the federal shooting festivals medals were always marked. Between 1855 and 1885 corresponded exactly to those circulating in diameter, and weight alloy five-franc pieces. They were not only intended as mementos, but also as a means of payment during the Marksmen's Festival. Because they are in fact retained the value of five francs after the festival, they arrived in the general payments system.
From 1865, Switzerland was a member of the Latin Monetary Union. The Schützentaler were not included in the stamping numbers approved by the Monetary Union, which is why their circulation and their semi-official character contradicted the Münzunionsverträgen. Under pressure from the other Member States, Switzerland committed the coinage after 1885. After the end of Monetary Union in 1927 twice Schützentaler yet been characterized, namely, to the festivals in Freiburg in 1934 and in Lucerne in 1939.
Precursor of Schützentaler were the occasion of shooting festivals marked by cantons coins ( 4 Franken 1842 Graubünden, Glarus 1847 chunk 40 and 10 Francs 1851 Geneva). Today medals will be issued with values provided by the private sector to local and federal shooting festivals, which are also often called the Schützentaler.