France 1898-A 20 francs
The first specimen was lot 3146 in Künker sale 264 (Osnabrück, June 2015), where it sold for €280 (about US$362 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"KÖNIGREICH 3. Republik, 1870-1940. 20 Francs 1898, A, Paris. 5,81 g Feingold. GOLD. Vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. (France, third republic, 1870-1940, twenty francs of 1898, Paris mint. Extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
This type revives the type struck 1848-49 during the Second Republic. All 86 million were struck at the Paris mint. Most dates are readily available; only the 1888-A is rare. This type is commonly called an "angel" by American dealers but the French name "Génie" is more accurate, as the figure is the Genius of France inscribing the Constitution. It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate after World War One.
Recorded mintage: 8,866,327.
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, revival of a design by Augustin Dupré (1748-1833).
Catalog reference: Fr-592; Gadoury 1063; Mazard 1820; Schl. 449. F.533/23.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 264, Gold coins | Russian Coins and Medals | German Coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2015.
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