Confédération Helvétique (1848 à nos jours). Essai de 20 francs Vreneli, or des mines de Gondo en Valais, avec petite croix, frappe spéciale (SP) 1897, B, Berne.

SWITZERLAND Helvetic Confederation (1848-present day). Pattern of 20 francs Vreneli, gold from Gondo’s mines, in Valais, with small cross, Specimen 1897, B, Bern.
Obv. HELVETIA. Bust of Helvetica facing left ; signature F. LANDRY.
Rev. On two oak branches, shield of the Confederation with 20 and FR on the sides ; below (date) and (mint).
Fr.501 - HMZ.1195b - OC.405.1a ; Gold - 21 mm - 6h.
This is the third PCGS highest grade !
PCGS SP64. Specimen. With small crosses. Struck with the gold extracted in Gondo, in Valais, with a characteristic greenish color. Only 29 struck examples ! Almost in its mint state, with only some micro-scratches.

In 1291, year of the pact between Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, Gondo has been bought by the Bishop of Sion, Boniface de Challant, to the territory of Novara. Thanks to a post office linking Lyon to Milan, the main resource for the inhabitants of Gondo was trade with Italy. Some gold mines were exploited from the middle of the 16th century to the end of the 19th century. Gold exploitation was definitively abandoned in 1897. Only 29 coins of 20 francs were struck with the gold extracted in Gondo in 1897, last year of minting with that gold. Only a few examples are known : one in the Swissmint collection, without the cross ; one in the Museum of Zurich, with the cross ; finally, 2 or 3 examples sold in 2002, 2013 (NGC SP66) and our example.