France 1990 500 francs KM-990a
This specimen was lot 1833 in Jean Elsen sale 134 (Brussels, September 2017), where it sold for €480 (about US$678 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Cinquième République (1959-), 500 francs - 70 ecus, 1990. Charlemagne. Rare Platine. Certificat n° 15. Flan poli. (France, Fifth Republic, five hundred francs of 1990, Charlemagne. Rare, platinum, proof.)"
This type, double denominated in francs and ecus, was accompanied by a silver 100 francs/15 ecus (KM 989) and a conventional 100 francs (KM 982). The Paris mint has issued so many NCLT's in recent decades that the standard guides (Le Franc and Gadoury) no longer list them for lack of space.
Recorded mintage: 5,000 in gold and 2,000 in platinum.
Specification: KM 990 (17 g, .920 fine gold) or 990a (20 g, 0.999 fine platinum).
Catalog reference: Fr-622a, KM 990a (platinum).
- 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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 134, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2017.
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