France 1849-A 50 centimes

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This coin is an issue of the short-lived Second Republic of France (1848-52). It is known from three mints: Paris (mintmark "A", the vast majority), Bordeaux (mintmark "K", rare) and Strasbourg (mintmark "BB", scarce). The type is not difficult to find but is expensive in high grade. This date is rare. Oudiné's bust of Cérès was revived under the Third Republic and used on the franc 1871-95. All francs issued prior to 1859, including this one, were demonetized in 1869 to make way for the succeeding issue which was only 0.835 fine.

Specification: 18 mm diameter, 2.5 grams, 0.900 fine silver. Designed by Eugéne André Oudiné, 1810-1887.

Recorded Mintage: 2,649.

Catalog reference: F.184/1.

Source:

• 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.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

Link to:

• 1849-A centime
• 1849-A 20 centimes
• 1849-A franc
• 1849-K franc
• 1849-A 2 francs
• 1849-BB 2 francs
• 1849-A 5 francs, Hercules
• 1849-A 5 francs, Cérès head
• 1849-BB 5 francs, Hercules
• 1849-BB 5 francs, Cérès head
• 1849-K 5 francs, Hercules
• 1849-A 20 francs "Genie"
• 1850-A 50 centimes
• Coins and currency dated 1849