France 1900 20 francs
This specimen was lot 1353 in Goldberg sale 128 (Los Angeles, June 2022), where it sold for $3,240. The catalog description[1] noted, "France. Matte Proof 20 Francs, 1900. Third Republic. Head of the Republic. Reverse: Rooster. Rare. Pop 1; 6 Finer at PCGS. PCGS graded Matte Proof 61." The type was struck in Paris 1899-1906; later issues had the edge lettered LIBERTE+EGALITE+FRATERNITE. The only dates available in proof are 1899 and 1900. American coin dealers refer to these coins as "roosters."
Recorded mintage: 605,982 plus 9,443 proofs[2].
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, designed by Jules-Clément Chaplain (1839-1909).
Catalog reference: Fr-596; KM-847; Gad-1064, F.534/5.
- 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.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Stephen Harvey and Vera Liu, Goldberg Sale 128: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2022.
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