France 1897 50 centimes
This dime-sized coin was struck at Paris during the Third Republic of France (1870-1940). It is a better date of a type struck 1897-1920. It is struck without mintmark and is the last type of fifty centimes to be struck in silver. Like all fifty centimes struck after 1864, the fineness was only .835. It was demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in the 1920's. The catalog[1] notes 27 dates for the type, none rare. The issues of 1897-1900 are without privy marks, which were added in 1901. The total production for the series was 357 million, compared to 34 million for the preceding "Cérès head" type. Matte proofs were struck in 1897, 1898 and 1900; these are expensive. This date is scarce and priced[1] about twenty times the massive issues of World War I (1916-20). The second specimen was lot 24097 in Heritage sale 61496 (Dallas, TX, April 2025), where it sold for $5,790. The catalog description[2] noted, "France: Stunning Gold Piefort "Semeuse". Republic gold Matte Proof Piefort 50 Centimes 1897 PR63 NGC, Paris mint, KM-Unl, An iconic "Sower" design that becomes almost surreal with the matte finish, presented here with the second highest grade at NGC. Lovely to view in hand." La Semeuse, or Sower, was so popular that the design was revived for the 1/2 franc of the Fifth Republic, struck in nickel 1965-2001.
Recorded mintage: 88,000.
Specification: 2.5 g, 0.835 fine silver, 18 mm diameter, reeded edge. It was designed by Oscar Roty, 1846-1911. The second specimen is gold, 6.32 g.
Catalog reference: F.190/1, KM 854. The second specimen is Gad-420, Maz-2133B.
- 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.
- [1]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [2]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2025 April 28 Spotlight: France & French Colonies World Coins Showcase Auction #61496, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2025.
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