France 1898 franc

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This issue, from the Paris mint, is the first year of issue of the famous Semeuse ("Sower") design which superseded the Cérès head of 1871-95. This design was used on fifty centimes, one franc and two francs of 1898-1920 during the Third Republic of France. This date was kept as a souvenir of the new type and is the most common except for the wartime dates of 1914-20. A few matte proofs exist.

Recorded mintage: 15,000,000^[2].

Specification: 5 g, 0.900 fine silver, 23 mm diameter, reeded edge, designed by Oscar Roty.

Catalog reference: KM 844.1, F.217/1.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc IX: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2012.

Link to:

• 1895-A franc
• 1898 centime
• France 1898 2 centimes
• 1898-A 5 centimes, Cérès head
• France 1898 5 centimes
• France 1898 10 centimes
• 1898 50 centimes
• 1898 2 francs
• France 1898 5 francs Maz-2122
• 1898-A 20 francs
• 1899 franc
• Coins and currency dated 1898