Any info would be appreciated, apparently a French copper coin, with (what appears to be) a silver wash, from 1792. obv: Loius? Rev: 2S? Thanks Frank
This French 2 sols was minted in Strasbourg (mintmark BB). It was issued after the French revolution in 1789 and before the beheading of the king in 1793. This is showing in the coin: the king is no longer king "by the grace of God", but his titles (in French, no longer in Latin) are coming after "the nation" and "the law". (Legends say "LA NATION LA LOI LE ROI). Louis XVI has become a constitutional king instead of ruling by divine right. The king is also not anymore "king of France" but "king of the French" (ROI DES FRANCAIS). He became a sort of first citizen. You have the special variety with ROI DES FRANCAIS instead of ROI DES FRANCOIS. KM#612. Krause gives a catalog value of 10 $ for VG.
Not often I would correct you Bart. Normally, yes BB is Strasbourg. But in the case of the sol and 2 sols coin of this type it is Besancon
I am afraid I have to stick to Strasbourg, specially in the case of this variety KM#612 ROI DES FRANCAIS with A (not FRANCOIS with O). Not only Krause attributes it to Strasbourg, but also the known website www.cgb.fr , which is very reliable on French coins. Look here, at number 78, which is the same coin as Frank's. Also nrs.79 and 80 are the same type, but of a different year. They are all attributed to Strasbourg (mintmark BB). By the way: they give as alloy : bell metal (métal de cloche). Many of those revolutionary coins were struck in bell metal
Yeah I know. But I am quoting from Monnaies Francaises 1789-2003 by Victor Gadoury. It is essentially the equivalent of the Red Book for French coins. Neither Ciani nor Duplessy make mention of this difference for the mint mark on these coins - they do not say either way. Only Gadoury provides the listing.
