I came across this when placing these two coins in an album. First picture is the two side by side, second pic both coins rolled upwards (feet over head) 3rd and 4th pics rolled left and rolled right. I believe with a U.S. coin if you rolled it upward from a heads up position it comes up in the correct tails position. That same quarter rolled left or right from the heads up position to tails position comes up standing on its head as does the 2Fr. coin but the 1Fr stays in the upright position when rolled either left or right. Is this only a U.S. approach to minting coins, or the one denomination of the FR type purposely minted this way or is this an error and all mints have the same basic ,for nothing better then words, rules for minting coins. If anyone could give me a web site, book name or the correct way to phrase for google I would like to learn other countries minting policies and how their policies and errors compare to ours if all mints do follow a basic set of rules. Any help is appreciated and hopefully every one had a safe and healthy holiday. Thanks Wrexx
The two orientations are "medal", where it's both heads up (like you just won a medal, wearing it around your neck, and whichever way it's flipped, you can read it) and like most later Canadian coins and L/R to examine it. The other is "coinage" like most US coins, and some early Canadian) where it's heads/tails
This is why I referred the person to a source. Ps. I tried to explain the difference to someone via Email and after writing paragraph after paragraph, I realized it would be easier for the OP to read and see examples by googling the topic.
Robert, Lawtoad and Bill Really appreciate you all pointing me in the right direction. I hope you all have a great weekend Wrexx
Both coins should be coin alignment. That would make your 1 Franc 180 degrees out of alignment and an error.
Swiss 2 Franc coins struck between 1968 to present had variable alignment https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces189.html as did the 1 Franc also https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces185.html
The US uses coin alignment (heads up/tails down) when producing coins and medal alignment (heads up/tails up) when producing medals. Many, many years ago, I purchased a complete set of 1-5/16" Presidential bronze medals (Washington to Clinton) from the Mint, all of which were struck in medal alignment except Lyndon B. Johnson and George H. W. Bush. Both of these medals were struck in coin alignment. I can only assume that the person running the press at the time those medals were made was used to setting up for coins, not medals.
Since they are both rotated exactly 180 degrees, I'm inclined to believe that the hammer die was installed for coin alignment. Regardless, you are still correct that they both are Rotated Die errors.