WW2 French Franc Hi I don't know if I'm posting this in the right place but does anyone know where I can get information on 1944/1945 French Francs? Thanks Morgan Kelly mkelly1@rbksch.org
Hi Morgan, Ian gave me information listed below regarding sites for french Francs. I have seen what you looking for at both For starters try Jean Elsen (belgium) at http://www.elsen.be also try cgb.fr Let us know how it goes.
I have a 1945 5 Franc piece and a 1944 1 Franc piece and because they are made of very light metal I guessed they were made in the war to save on metal needed for other things and I wondered if they were rare or if there were lots of them about Morgan
Those coins are aluminum pieces. The 1F 1944 coin could have the Vichy regime's motto "Travail Famille Patrie" or the "Liberté Egalité Fraternité" motto that French coins had before and after WW2. The 5F 1945 coin was issued after the liberation. They are not worth much, I am afraid, even in excellent condition ... Christian
Thanks, I wondered why the 1F piece had a different motto, it does indeed have the TFP motto. Should I just throw them away? M
Howdy Andy - I had to go back and dig up this post of yours so that I might answer it - finally I recently aquired the rather hard to find coin you asked about - 1848-A 20 franc gold angel. And this one is a real beauty - graded and slabbed by NGC as MS65 though I personally feel it deserves a 66
GDJMSP, It was pretty decent of you to have remembered my interest with that find of yours. You must be a good hunter up in Utah for I scanned European web pages for more then a few months, when I had the time, with no success never mind State side. I'm interested with how you obtained the coin. Of course this is the internet and not everyone reading this may be as good of folk as the coin forum people are so I understand if you wish to leave out some details. Thanks again for sharing a viewing of the coin alot of dealers told me they never seen.
I found the coin on ebay Andy - don't mind telling you that at all And if you wish to contact me via P/M - I'll even tell you the seller And rolltide - congrats on your find
"I found the coin on ebay Andy - don't mind telling you that at all" E-bay. Now that is the wonderful thing about e-bay. With all the lumps of coal on it, there is also the diamond waiting to be found. I would have passed up the coin unless I knew the dealer. Don't have the expert eye that you have GDJMSP. Even with my scale and scope (which I use to check coins from the dealers that I do trust). Will contact you soon and thanks for the response.
"Well see what ya think of this one then Andy - found it on ebay too" A 1748-W Louis D'Or in MS64 Well now, wasn't that a pretty picture of a yellow fellow. You must be amassing some French Gold collection up in Utah. I remember some of your earlier sharings on this thread, which I do look at again and again on occasion. Sent you a private e-mail and hope to hear from you soon.
There is only one series of Francs that are of interest to me - the New Hebrides Francs,as that was issued by the French half of the Condominium administration.In 1980,the New Hebrides gained independence within the British Commonwealth as the Republic of Vanuatu,but the New Hebrides Franc coins stayed in circulation until their withdrawal in 1983.The 1982 issue of the New Hebrides 1 Franc,2 & 5 Francs are an odd-ball series,as this was really a provisional issue. Aidan.
I have a question about French gold francs.I have an 1811 Napoleon,an 1889 angel and a 1907 Marianne/rooster and have noticed that the color of the gold on the Napoleon is considerably different,much brassier and less reddish.Does anyone know what the actual gold content or the makeup of the alloy was for these? Just curious.
All 3 were struck in .900 gold, weight should be same for all - 6.45 gm. Since counterfeits exist for all 3 as well, I suggest you weigh them. That being said, they may well be genuine and still not be the same color. For contrary to popular belief gold coins do tone. Are they really that shiny ??
Doug,the gold coins that have a reddish colour have a copper alloy added to the gold.Those with a yellowish colour have had silver added to the gold,as gold is far too soft as a coinage metal on its own. Aidan.
Hello The Marianne/rooster 20 francs have been minted in two series. From 1899 to 1906 with the edge inscribed Dieu protege la France, then from 1907 to 1914 with the edge inscribed Liberté Egalité Fraternité. This second series has been minted again since 1948, when the gold market reopened after WW II. The caracteristic of this series is the reddish aspect of the coins, because of the presence of more copper in them, as stated by Aidan Work. They are not fakes, as officially minted with the original dies, but copies. They look sharper than the "originals". If you would like your rooster to be "vintage", beware of the colour !!! For further information see "Le franc VI", p.465, in french I'm afraid Hope it helps
