France 1890-A 2 centimes
This specimen was lot 22577 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Las Vegas, August 2020), where it sold for $110. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. 2 Centimes, 1890-A. Paris Mint. NGC MS-65 Red Brown. A exceptionally well struck Gem quality coin with full cartwheel luster and abundant mint red." The specimen shown is a two centimes, Cérès head, of a type struck under the Third Republic of France 1877-97. The majority, including this one, are Paris mint issues but Bordeaux produced this type in 1878. There are 23 dates in the series, none rare. The 1890-A is a better date compared to the common issues of the late 1890's but is not scarce. The total production for the series is about ten million, compared to 58 million Napoleon III "bare head" two centimes (1853-57) and 33 million "laureate head" two centimes (1861-62). The Cérès head was replaced by the "Marianne" head designed by Daniel-Dupuis (struck 1898-1920). All the bronze two centimes pieces were demonetized in 1940.
Recorded mintage: 300,000.
Specification: 2 g, bronze, 20 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by Eugéne-André Oudiné (1810-1887).
Catalog reference: KM-827.1; Gad-105, F.109/16.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The August 2020 ANA Auction: World Coins, featuring the Duke of Lansing Collection, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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