Pointers on French Assignats??

Discussion in 'Paper Money' started by Curio Bill, Aug 7, 2010.

  1. Curio Bill

    Curio Bill Junior Member

    During my ebay meanderings I have just discovered a VERY reasonably priced & attractive type of 200 yr old paper money!! Can anyone here give me some Pointers on collecting French Assignats?? I have found some websites that show photos of a few types, but nothing like an "Assignats for Dummies" site that shows what are the more rare/prefered types & there approx. values. Thanks, Bill
     
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  3. djaeon

    djaeon Member

    I looked at some of those, and my first instinct was that notes that old, in that great of condition, were probably reproductions. But then I looked at Heritage, and figured out that it's not that unbelievable after all.
     
  4. lettow

    lettow Senior Member

    Millions of assignats were printed and they soon became valueless as a currency. Thousands of notes have survived so they are not that scarce as a group. At one time not that long ago you could find them in a dealers dollar box of notes. The y have dried up a little bit over the years but many can still be found for $10.00 or less.

    There are scarcer varieties. The Mandat Territorial notes come to mind. They are listed in the Pick catalogs under France. If you can get your hands on one you will be able to determine the scarcer notes.
     
  5. Curio Bill

    Curio Bill Junior Member

    Que est que ce?? What are these?? (If I remember my freshman french class at all!!)
     
  6. krispy

    krispy krispy

    DaveM might step in and offer some information, this is his homepage on Assignats he's our resident expert on French bank notes in my eyes...

    He listed these books in this thread recently:
    • Les Assignats et les Papiers-Monnaies Emis par l'Etat au XVIIIe Siecle, by Jean Lafaurie
    Catalogue Général des Assignats Français, detailed information on French assignats, by Jean-Luc Buathier [http://assignat.fr/]


    And here's a Paper Money thread on CT started a short while ago:

    Paper Money Inflation in France

    This thread offers a link to a free Goolge Books title called, Paper Money Inflation in France

    I also have a post in that thread with a YouTube link to Rob McEwan talking about Assignat role in history during a presentation on gold investment as well as the French and English versions of the Wikipedia pages on Assignat
     
  7. Curio Bill

    Curio Bill Junior Member

    Thanks Krispy, I had already found Dave's site (WELL worth a look!!) and the french sites in the other older threads, but I was hoping to find either a book or a site in English (Me no parlez at all - I used up ALL of my retained french knowledge in the post above!!). I don't suppose there would be a way to translate the excellent french site into english, would there?? Thanks again, Bill
     
  8. krispy

    krispy krispy

    Babblefish but they really mangle text badly in my experience. Also if you search the site on Google, in the list of search results, each one has a [Translate this page] link in blue right behind the URL.
     
  9. Dave M

    Dave M Francophiliac

    Hi Bill,

    Krispy has outlined the references I use for assignats. Unfortunately they're all in French, I have seen no specialized catalogs on the assignats in English. The SCWPM ("Pick") is your best bet, I think.

    As always, condition is everything for collectors. There are millions of assignats out there, many well worn or with damaged paper due to time, and if you focus on the best condition you will start to pay good money for them.

    Dave
     
  10. Curio Bill

    Curio Bill Junior Member

    Thanks for the reply & your site is great & very tempting!! But what exactly IS the "Pick" catalog?? I am assuming it is an old auction catalog?? Thanks, Bill
     
  11. Dave M

    Dave M Francophiliac

    Thanks!

    Sorry about that - Standard Catalog of World Paper Money - http://www.krausebooks.com/product/...ney-general-issues-1368-1960/coins_papermoney

    Comes in 3 volumes, the one you want is general issues 1368-1960. Krause is having a sale right now, but you can pick them up in many places (Amazon, etc). Also you could pick up a used one, since the assignat info isn't changing much over time (except price updates if you believe them...)

    Dave
     
  12. Curio Bill

    Curio Bill Junior Member

    Duh!!! I just got the modern issue one, but did not recognize the acronym....
     
  13. Texas John

    Texas John Collector of oddments

    Assignats issued 1790-2 have many interesting and valuable varieties. Assignats issued after 1793 in the name of Louis XVII are VERY valuable. Grab them when you see them.
     
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