It was the 2025 budget of the canton of Fribourg, unveiled this Wednesday, which discovered the pot aux roses. While the Swiss National Bank (SNB) does not foresee any profits, the people of Friborg have even added an amount of 17 million francs to their revenues, supposed to come precisely from the SNB. In fact, the money will come from a windfall as large as it is unexpected: old bank notes from 1976. In total, these old pieces of paper, once precious, could bring in around a billion francs, explains RTS.
How is this possible? The SNB introduced a new series of banknotes in the year 2000, while withdrawing from circulation those of the 1976 series. At the time, a period of 25 years was granted to all those who still owned these old banknotes to exchange them. However, according to estimates, the equivalent of a billion francs remains in nature. The SNB will keep 10% of the amount and the rest will be distributed between the Confederation, the cantons and the fund for damages linked to natural disasters. Thus, according to RTS, the Bernese hope to receive 57 million, while Geneva is counting on 27 million.
