After First World War the Swiss government resolved upon the creation of a new 5-franc-coin. During the war, silver coins had been hoarded or moved abroad. Switzerland suffered from a lack of coins. For a short time even 5-franc-banknotes were issued. The assignment for the new coin image was given to the sculptor Paul Burkhard from Zurich. The federal council considered his design of a dairyman to be the appropriate allegory for Switzerland.