Roger Federer just became the first living person to be featured on a Swiss coin as 'a perfect ambassador' for the country
- Roger Federer's sporting legacy is to be immortalized in the form of a Swiss coin bearing his face and name.
- The Swiss government has announced it is to produce a commemorative 20 franc ($20) silver coin in honour of the 38-year-old's career, which will be issued in January.
- 55,000 of the coins, will be produced, which can be purchased for 30 francs ($30) online between December 2 and December 19.
- "Thank you Switzerland, and Swissmint for this incredible honour and privilege," Federer said on his official Twitter account.
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Roger Federer's sporting legacy has been immortalized in the form of a Swiss coin bearing his face and name.
The Swiss government announced it is producing a commemorative 20 franc ($20) silver coin in honour of the 38-year-old's career, which will be issued in January.
55,000 of the coins, which feature Federer preparing to strike a trademark backhand, will be produced.
The coins, which went on sale Monday, can be purchased for 30 francs ($30) online until December 19, though the website appeared to be crashing periodically when Business Insider checked on Tuesday.
A further 40,000 may also be produced next year depending on demand.
"Roger Federer's sporting achievements, his charitable commitments, his easy-going nature and his accessibility to his fans have prompted Swissmint to dedicate this 20-franc silver coin to him - the first time it has done so with a living person," a spokesperson for the coin's producer, Swissmint, told Eurosport.
The Swiss government said the coin is being made because Federer is "probably Switzerland's most successful individual sportsman, he is also the perfect ambassador for Switzerland," according to the Associated Press.
Federer took to Twitter to say thank you for the "incredible honour."
"Thank you Switzerland, and Swissmint for this incredible honour and privilege," he said.
Swissmint also confirmed its plans to issue a 50 franc ($50) coin featuring Federer next year, which will feature a different design.
Federer is the country's most decorated sportsperson of all time, having won won 103 tour-level titles, including 20 Grand Slams, the most recent of which came at the 2018 Australian Open, where he beat Marin Cilic in the final.
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