In the 19th century, Farinet flooded the Valais with counterfeit 20-cent coins, which he manufactured and distributed generously to those who helped him. Considered an outlaw, he died in strange circumstances in 1880 in the Salentse gorges.
A native of the Valle d’Aosta and a magnin by trade, Joseph Samuel Farinet distributed 20-cent coins that he made with the help of a few accomplices. In 15 years, he produced just over 40,000 coins worth 8,000 francs at the time, equivalent to 120,000 francs today. His process was quite simple: between the 2 parts of a mould carved in negative with a punch, he placed a heated metal disc (the blank), then a good blow with a hammer on the upper part engraved the piece in the metal. Later, he used a press for a less random result.
The death of the “Robin of the Alps
Despite the active support of the local population, the police finally managed to track Farinet down near Saillon in 1880. The counterfeiter died in dubious circumstances. It is still not known whether he was killed by the gendarmes or fell by accident into the Salentse gorge. Today, he is known as a Robin des Alpes.
The memory of Farinet
Considered an outlaw by the authorities, Farinet was buried in Saillon, but outside the sacred precincts of the cemetery. Fifty years later, Jean-Louis Barrault, the actor who played Farinet in the film, paid for a modest wooden cross and placed it on a fictitious grave in the old cemetery.
From 2017 to 2019, an alternative currency to the franc was launched in Valais: the “Farinet”. It was accepted as a means of payment in many shops in the region. The stained glass path, vineyard, museum, via Farinetta and footbridge keep the memory of this mythical character alive.
To find out more
To find out more about Farinet and his story, plan a guided tour of the Vigne à Farinet or the Musée de la fausse monnaie.