Its a French 2, 5, or 10 centimes, I can't tell which due to the photo. The amount is written along the bottom of the reverse: deux = 2 cinq = 5 dix = 10
Well, the obverse matches the 1855 Napoleon III Franc, 2 Franc and 5 Franc coins; but all of them have a denomination in a wreath on the reverse, not an eagle. What is the size? Is it brass?
The pics certainly aren't in good shape. Unfortunately, neither is the coin. A mixture of the images ....and wear / damage to the coin prevents a full attribution. It is however a french five (cinq) centimes piece of 1855. With these coins the crucial factor for grading is the privy marks on them. Just to the left of the 1 in 1855 is a small symbol. It should either be an anchor or the head of a greyhound looking to the right. It is impossible to tell from the image which one it is. it looks to have been nigh on obliterated in which case the grade is below VG. For 1855 dated coins of this type the mint mark is also crucial to the value. This is a letter (or two letters) just below the eagle. Your one looks to be a `D' but it could also be a `BB'. Perhaps you might like to check it out (?). IF your coin is a `D', and IF the privy mark is a dogs head, then your coin might be worth about $10 to a collector. If however it is a `D' but an anchor, then it is worth about $1. If the mint mark is `BB' it doesn't really matter about the privy mark...it's about $1 value at best. In any event, i'm sorry to say that you won't be getting a world cruise on the basis of that one's value .
Im sorry, I didnt have time to write a full description. Under the bird the mint mark is "BB" with the words "UNO CENTIMES" . I believe it is made out of brass. I can make out an anchor to the left of the date, The year is in fact 1855. It is worn alot. It was brought back by my fathers uncle when he was overseas in WW1. Sorry about the bad pics.
Are you quite sure? 1 in french is 'un' not 'uno'. Uno would be Spanish. I don't see this particular design listed for 1 centimes in 1855, maybe someone with a catalog can verify.
On your coin is the inscription CINQ CENTIMES (or 5 centimes). The letters BB mean the coin has been made at the Strasbourg Mint. It is a very common coin, but historically interesting, as it shows emperor Napoleon III with bare head. After 1861 he is depicted with a laureled head, as being a Roman emperor. Napoleon III was the son of one of Napoleon Bonaparte's brothers, Louis , who was king of Holland during the First Empire. He became the first directly elected president of France during the Second Republic. After overthrowing the government in 1852, he seized full power and proclaimed the Second Empire. He reigned until his defeat against the Prussians in 1870. Your coin is minted in bronze, not brass.
Unless the poster is very small and has incredibly dainty little fingers there should be no doubt that it is a five centimes piece. It is far too big to be a lesser denomination.0 The only plausible explanation for the `uno' that the poster THINKS he sees is the misreading of `cinq' due to the very obvious wear. Monetary value.....sadly next to nothing. Sentimental value.....well, the poster is the best judge of that.
Ok Bart, you're right. It is CINQ CENTIMES. I can only make out the "N" and the "Q" which I thought was an "O". Just remembering that part of WW1 took part in France would make it highly unlikely this coin would have the word "UNO" on it. Gotta wonder where my head is sometimes!! I should try to get a better example of this coin just to have one I can read.
......I didn't think so either. That's why I said `five (cinq) centimes in my first post. Besides which, the `Q' is very prominent.:kewl:
Ian,if you look at the privy marks on the obverse of that 5 Centimes,you will know that it is the Paris Mint's privy marks,as one of them is a bee privy mark. Aidan.
Not so Aidan. The Privy mark for the Engraver General (common to all mints in 1855) was either a Dogs head or an Anchor. This is because in that year there was a change in the Engraver General. Now then, in 1855 the Mint Directors Privy mark for Paris Mint was a Hand (`Main Indicatrice'). At Strasbourg that year, the Mint Directors privy mark was a Bee (`abeille'). We are therefore doubly assured that the coin in question was minted in Strasbourg (BB mint mark AND Bee privy mark). The only thing we don't know is whether it was struck during the outgoing Engraver General's term of office or whether during the newcomers. We do however know that in relation to this coin there is nothing whatsoever about the bee privy mark that suggests `Paris', at least not for that time frame. The Mint Director at Paris did however use a Bee privy mark during the period 1860 -79.....but this coin is rather obviously dated 1855 is it not?
Ian,you're more up with the play as far as the French privy marks go than I am.Have you studied the privy marks on the French Euro coins yet? There's about 4 or 5 different privy marks on the French Euro coins.I'm not sure how many sets of privy marks are on the Monegasque Euro coins though. Aidan.
I haven't actively collected any euro coins, with the exception of the Austrian niobium 25 euros. Even then i lost interest after last years effort. This years is a bit better, but not enough to get me collecting them again. As to french. My `active' collecting interest these days is silver jetons although I do still maintain an interest in coinage up to the 1880's. I've little interest beyond that time frame....even though i've still got lots of coins from the 1880's to 1999.
