France 1877-A 10 centimes
This specimen was lot 1368 in Jean Elsen sale 145 (Brussels, September 2020), where it sold for €260 (about US$371 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Troisième République (1871-1940), Cu 10 centimes, 1877A, Paris. Superbe. (France, Third Republic, 1871-1940, copper ten centimes of 1877, Paris mint. Extremely Fine.)"
The specimen shown is a ten centimes, Cérès head, of a type struck under the Third Republic of France 1870-98. The majority, including this one, are Paris mint issues but Bordeaux produced this type 1871-78. There are 45 dates in the series, some expensive but only the 1897-A with the fasces privy mark is rare. The 1877-A is a scarce date compared to the common issues of the 1890's. The total production for the series is about fifty million, compared to 258 million Napoleon III "bare head" ten centimes (1852-57) and 52 million "laureate head" 10 centimes (1861-65). The Cérès head was replaced by the "Marianne" head designed by Daniel-Dupuis (struck 1898-1921). All the bronze ten centimes pieces were demonetized in 1935.
Recorded mintage: 392,268. a better date, verging on scarce.
Specification: 10 g, bronze, 30 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by Eugéne-André Oudiné (1810-1887) and Joseph-François Domard (1792-1858).
Catalog reference: F.135/18, KM 815.1, Gad-265a.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
- Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 145, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
Link to: