France 1958 100 francs
The first specimen was lot 1415 in Jean Elsen sale 142 (Brussels, September 2019), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Quatrième République (1947-1959), Cupro-nickel 100 francs, 1958. Type Cochet. Différent: chouette. Rare. Très Beau. (France, Fourth Republic, 1947-59, copper-nickel hundred francs of 1958, owl privy mark. Rare, Very Fine.)"
This specimen is a scarce date of a type struck at the Paris and Beaumont-le-Roger mints 1954-58 under the Fourth Republic (1946-59). The inflation triggered by the devastation wreaked by World War Two continued thru the 1950's, forcing the regime to strike coins in ever higher denominations. It is a far cry from the magnificent gold coin of the Third Republic. The new franc which replaced it in 1960 with the inauguration of the Fifth Republic was equal to this coin and was struck to this standard. This type was not demonetized until 1966.
Recorded mintage: 3,256,000 including wing privy mark plus 54,072,000 from Beaumont-le-Roger.
Specification: 6 g, copper-nickel, 24 mm diameter, designed by Robert Cochet (1903-88).
Catalog reference: F.450/13, KM 919.1, Gad-897.
- 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.
- 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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