France 1936 100 francs
The first specimen was lot 30620 in Heritage sale 3035 (Long Beach, September 2014), where it sold for $2,232.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Republic gold 100 Francs 1936-(A) MS65 NGC, Paris mint. Highly coveted as a type, and scarcely offered in Gem grade, with gleaming semi-reflective obverse fields and satin-textured surfaces elsewhere. A coin that is certain to attract significant attention." This coin was part of a projected reintroduction of gold coinage after the devaluation of the French franc by Poincaré in the late twenties. In 1935-36 thirteen million were minted but a further drop in the value of the franc prevented their general release and the type is scarce today.
Recorded mintage: 7,688,641.
Specification: 6.55 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE. It was designed by Lucien Bazor.
Catalog reference: Fr-598, KM-880, Gad-1148, F.554/7.
- 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.
- Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, and Warren Tucker, Heritage Signature Auction 3035, World and Ancient Coins, featuring the FoxLair Collection and the Law Collection, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2014.
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