Christian Fueter

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Christian Fueter (June 2, 1752 – January 19, 1844) was a Swiss medalist and the mint-master of Bern from 1792 to 1837. He was born in London as the youngest son of Daniel Christian Fueter, a goldsmith who had fled to England for political reasons. His family moved to New York City around 1754 and later to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he began learning drawing. In 1769 he returned to Switzerland with his father and settled in Bern, studying engraving on steel and precious stones under Johann Melchior Morikofer. He then went to Paris and worked for Graff, Schultze, the painter Jean-Baptiste Greuze, and others. His skill as a gold- and silversmith and as an engraver of seals and medals helped him become a good candidate for the Bernese Mint, with recommendations from patrons such as Jenner von Brunnadern and the magistrate von Steiger. The government sent him to mints in several cities—Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Augsburg, Munich, Nuremberg, Dresden, and London—to perfect his craft. In 1791 he returned to Bern and became mint-master.

As mint-master, Fueter introduced the French-style currency to Bern and supported the reforms of the late 18th century. When the Republic of Bern fell in 1798, he managed to hide part of the Mint’s treasury from the French. The Helvetic Republic later restored him to the post. During his long career he produced many coin dies and became a renowned medallist. One of his early medals from 1786 commemorates the opening of an orphanage; he also made medals for the Battle of Laupen and the Insel-Medaille, and a notable portrait in relief of Voltaire. Much Swiss currency was struck from his dies at Bern, Basel, and Solothurn.

Fueter also designed coins for various cantons, including pieces attributed to Landolt, such as a Helvetic Republic Thaler struck in Bern in 1799 and several Appenzell issues from 1812, along with other coins like the Lucerne Batzen and a 1813 Thaler. In addition to his metalwork, he was a skilled gem-engraver, and one of his best cameos is a portrait of Voltaire.