France 1939 20 francs
This specimen was lot 1410 in Jean Elsen sale 142 (Brussels, September 2019), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Troisième République (1871-1940), AR 20 francs, 1939. Très rare Certifiée PCGS MS66. Fleur de Coin. (France, Third Republic, 1871-1940, silver twenty francs of 1939. Very rare, certified PCGS MS66. Uncirculated.)"
This specimen is the key date of a series struck 1929-39. All 51 million were struck for France at the Paris mint without mintmark. Most dates are readily available; the 1932, 1936 and 1939 dates are rare. This type was an attempt by the Poincaré government to revive the silver écu but at a realistic level after the ravages of the inflation of World War One. The face value of the old franc Germinal was 0.222 franc/gram of silver; this coin prices silver at 1.47 francs/gram. It was officially demonetized in 1945 but ceased to circulate during the German occupation.
Recorded mintage: 3,918.
Specification: 20 g, 0.680 fine silver, 35 mm diameter, reeded edge, designed by Pierre Turin (1891-1968).
Catalog reference: Gad-852, F.400/10, KM 879, Dav-98.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2012.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
- Guilloteau, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, Colonies 1670-1942 et Metropole 1774-1942, Versailles, 1942.
- Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 142, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2019.
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