2019 Switzerland 25 Gram Silver Appenzell Shooting Festival Thaler NGC PF70UC - Switzerland Label

You'll Want to Get Your Paws on This Year's Shooting Festival Thalers!

Switzerland has held annual Schí¼tzenfest festivals Since the 1400s where contestants match their marksmanship skills in target shooting competitions. The first festivals were held with crossbows – the weapon that William Tell famously used to shoot an apple off his son's head. In the 1800s, the weapons changed to rifles and the festival has continued through today. During each year's festival special Swiss "Shooting Thalers" are issued to the general public to commemorate the event. They are distinguished from medals won by contestants by their uniform size and temporary legal-tender status.

Now, you can obtain the 2019 silver proof struck to commemorate the shooting festival at Appenzell. It features a pair of bears facing each other, one holding a tree limb, while the reverse features the traditional wreath motif. Your 2019 Switzerland Appenzell Shooting Festival Silver Thaler has been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) to be in flawless Proof-70 Ultra Cameo (PF70UC) condition, a distinction that means your perfectly-graded proof will have ZERO imperfections – showing all features and fields exactly as the engraver and mint intended.

Located in northeast Switzerland, Appenzell is a historic canton (state) entirely surrounded by the canton of St. Gallen. Appenzell became independent of the Abbey of Saint Gall in 1403 and today consists of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Though independent of St. Gallen and the Abbey of Saint Gall, Appenzell uses the Bear of Saint Gall for its Coat of Arms. According to legend, the venerable Saint was charged by a bear one night while warming himself by a fire. The bear, awed by the holy presence of the saint, stopped its charge, crept back into the forest and gathered timber for the fire. Following the encounter, the faithful bear followed Saint Gall for the remainder of the saint's life.

The Swiss Shooting Thaler series has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among collectors who have a passion for marksmanship. Despite their popularity, mintage numbers for Shooting Thalers remain extremely low, so order this 2019 Switzerland Appenzell Shooting Festival Silver Proof at govmint.com while you still can!

• 2019 DESIGN IN THE SHOOTING THALER SERIES – The 2019 Switzerland Appenzell Shooting Festival Silver Thaler Proof features a pair of bears facing each other on the obverse and the traditional wreath motif on the reverse.

• STRUCK IN PRECIOUS METAL – Your Appenzell Silver Proof was struck in 25 grams of 90% silver.

• UNIQUE FESTIVAL TENDER DENOMINATION – While this proof is not a legal-tender coin, it does bear a "Festival Value" making it technically redeemable for its face value. This 25-gram silver Proof has denomination of 50 Francs.

• GRADED IN PERFECT CONDITION – Your 2019 Switzerland Appenzell Shooting Festival Silver Thaler was graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) to be in flawless Proof-70 Ultra Cameo (PF70UC) condition, a distinction that means your perfectly-graded proof will have ZERO imperfections – showing all features and fields exactly as the engraver and mint intended.

• EXTREMELY LIMITED MINTAGE – The Appenzell Silver Proof is from a limited edition of just 1,500.

Shooting Thalers sell out every year at the Swiss Mint, making these coins highly sought-after commodities in the secondary market.