France 1889-A 50 centimes
This specimen was lot 23819 in Heritage sale 3020 (Long Beach, September 2012), where it sold for $1,880. The catalog description[1] noted, "Republic 50 Centimes 1889A, Proof 63 NGC, nicely toned with obvious Proof characteristics including a lovely texture to the cheek of Liberte. Very rare Proof only date with a mintage of 100." This dime-sized coin was struck at Paris during the Third Republic (1870-1940). It is a proof-only date of a type struck 1871-95. All issues are Paris mint except for the Bordeaux mint (mintmark "K") issues of 1871-73. Like all fifty centimes struck after 1864, the fineness was only .835. It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in France after World War One.
Recorded mintage: 100.
Specification: 2.5 g, 0.835 fine silver, 18 mm diameter, reeded edge. It was designed by Eugène André Oudiné, 1810-1887. This head of Cérès was originally used on the fifty centimes of 1849-51.
Catalog reference: KM 834.1, F.189/14.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- [1]Tucker, Warren, and Cris Bierrenbach, Heritage Signature Auction 3020: World Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2012.
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