Does anyone know what the story is behind the "fourth plume" counterfeit? It's my understanding that 1950 French 20 francs with the four plumes are counterfeit in some manner. Any idea why these came about? I ran across one today looking through a bulk coin lot. Thanks!
The way I read the notes in La Franc, it is the 1950 20F Georges Guidraud *with no mint mark* and 4 feathers, that had a reported find. I don't have the referenced article in Bulletin Numismatique, #38 page 7, but it seems a poor quality photo of this coin was shown in the article, but nobody ever saw the actual coin. My suspicion is that what you found was the G. Guiraud version, Le Franc 402/3
Interesting... that's from the Gadoury catalog? The one listed there as 99.1, 1950 (4 plumes) is the one I was referring to from Le Franc. Le Franc does not list that variety, and it is the one they mention in the article that they don't feel has ever been confirmed as the only one that has been seen is a poor quality photo in that article.
The article @Dave M mentioned is here : http://www.bulletin-numismatique.fr/bn/pdf/bn038.pdf Look p. 7 Be aware that there are two types, one with the Georges Guiraud, the other with the G. Guiraud signatures, both come with/without the B mintmark and/or with 3 or 4 feathers to the rooster. The one in question is the Georges Guiraud + 4 feathers + no mintmark. Difficult to tell without any picture, but I suspect yours to be either the #401/3 (nice find) or, as stated above the #402/3 (very common). Hope that helps Q
