FRENCH REPUBLIC
LAST YEAR OF THE FRANC - EUROPA 2001
5 0Z GOLD 655,957 FRANCS - LAST EURO CONVERSION COIN
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 66 ULTRA CAMEO
ONLY 99 MINTED!
THIS COIN IS STAMPED 60 / 99 ON RIM
OBV: ALLEGORICAL FACING PARTIAL PORTRAIT BUST OF EUROPA RIGHT WITH STARS IN HAIR; STYLIZED FLAD=GS WITH POLES LEFT; WORD “EUROPA” DECENDING FROM TOP LEFT OF CENTER; 12 CIRCLES SURROUNDING AT EDGE ABOVE, EACH WITH EURO SYMBOL; DATE WITH “LAST YEAR OF THE FRANC” LOGO BENEATH FLAGS AT BOTTOM.
REV: FRENCH REPUBLICE INITIALS CENTER OVER DENOMINATION SURROUNDED BY REPRESENTATIONS OF FRENCH FRANC COINS FROM 1999; SURROUNDING CENTRAL THEME, THE NAMES OF 12 FOUNDING EUROPEAN COMMUNITY COUNTRIES WITH MONETARY CONVERSIONS TO THE EURO UNDER EACH.
KM #1267.1
ALTHOUGH THE LAST FRANCS WERE ISSUED IN 2001, THE FRENCH FRANC WAS FREELY REDEEMABLE AT THE BANQUE de FRANCE UNTIL 2005. BANKNOTES WERE EXCHANGEABLE UNTIL 2012. THE CONVERSION RATE WAS FIXED AT 6.55957 FRANCS FOR 1 EURO.
THE FIRST FRANC WAS STRUCK IN GOLD IN 1360, AND WAS MADE TO PAY THE RANSOM OF KING JOHN II, CAPTURED BY THE ENGLISH AT THE BATTLE OF POITIER.
THIS BEAUTIFUL RARE MASSIVE GOLD PROOF COIN WAS A FITTING SENDOFF TO THE FRENCH FRANC, PAVING THE WAY FOR CONVERSION TO EURO COINAGE.
CONTAINS 155.5175 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD
5OZ
49 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 99 MINTED!
