A Prickly Commemorative

On March 19, Swissmint issued a bimetallic 10-franc coin in honor of the hedgehog, Pro Natura’s 2026 Animal of the Year. 

Pro Natura, a Swiss nature conservation organization, chooses an animal of the year in an effort to raise awareness of threatened species in Switzerland. The organization chose the hedgehog this year to symbolize biodiversity, native wildlife, and the close connection between people and nature.

The obverse of the coin features the prickly mammal facing forward, with two more hedgehogs facing each other in the foreground. The inscription TIER DES JAHRES (“Animal of the Year”) appears at the top, along with the word “hedgehog” in Switzerland’s four national languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansh). The reverse provides a close-up view of the animal’s spiny body against a night sky in a nod to the hedgehog’s nocturnal nature. The denomination, country, year, and mintmark appear along the edge.

Swissmint produced uncirculating (mintage 7,000) and proof (2,500) examples. The uncirculated version has sold out, but the proof version is still available on Swissmint’s website.