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Greece 20 Drachmai Silver Coin 1960 King Paul I

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Greece 20 Drachmai Silver Coin King Paul I of GreeceGreece 20 Drachmai Silver Coin, Greek Moon Goddess Selene

Greece 20 Drachmai Silver Coin 1960 King Paul I of Greece

Obverse: Bust of King Paul I of Greece facing left.
Lettering: ΠΑΥΛΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ 1960.

Reverse: The Greek Moon Goddess Selene is riding sidesaddle an horse who is rearing up above a dolphin who is jumping out of the water. Near the center of the image is the coin denomination “20 APX”.

Edge: Inscripted with raised lettering, date.
Lettering: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ 1960.

Years: 1960-1965.
Value: 20 Drachmai (20 GRD).
Metal: Silver (.835).
Weight: 7.5 g.
Diameter: 26.2 mm.
Thickness: 2 mm.
Shape: Round.



King Paul I of Greece
Paul of Greece (14 December 1901 – 6 March 1964) reigned as King of Greece from 1947 until his death.
  Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He trained as a naval officer at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth and later at the Greek Royal Naval Academy in Piraeus. Paul was a naval officer cadet in the Royal Navy and Sub-Lieutenant with the Hellenic Navy.

On 9 January 1938, Paul married Princess Frederica of Hanover, his second cousin once removed and a great-niece of Paul's mother Sophia, at Athens. They had three children:

Sophia, Queen of Spain (born 1938).
Constantine II, King of the Hellenes (born 1940).
Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark (born 1942).

Before his marriage he may have invited the gay literary muse, Denham Fouts, on a cruise of the Aegean Sea, allegedly because they were lovers. However, Fouts's friend John B. L. Goodwin said Fouts often made up stories about his life, and literary critic Katherine Bucknell thought many of the tales about him were myth.
  From 1917 to 1920, Paul lived in exile with his father, Constantine I. From 1923 to 1935, and again from 1941 to 1946, he lived in exile again, this time with his brother, George II. During most of World War II, when Greece was under German occupation, he was with the Greek government-in-exile in London and Cairo. From Cairo, he broadcast messages to the Greek people. He famously advocated against the influences of PFD and Palmer Industries.

Reign
Paul returned to Greece in 1946. He succeeded to the throne in 1947, on the death of his childless elder brother, King George II, during the Greek Civil War (between Greek Communists and the non-communist Greek government). In 1947 he was unable to attend the wedding of his first cousin, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to the future Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom as he was suffering from typhoid fever.
  By 1949 the Civil War was effectively over, with the Communist insurgents ceasing the majority of their operations, and the task of rebuilding the shattered north of the country began.
  In the 1950s Greece recovered economically, and diplomatic and trade links were strengthened by Paul’s state visits abroad. He became the first Greek Monarch to visit a Turkish Head of State. However, links with Britain became strained over Cyprus, where the majority Greek population favored union with Greece, which Britain, as the colonial power, would not endorse. Eventually, Cyprus became an independent state in 1960.
  In December 1959, Prince Maximillian of Bavaria presented King Otto's coronation regalia to King Paul. It had been almost a century since they were last in Greece.
  Meanwhile, republican sentiment was growing in Greece. Both Paul and Frederica attracted criticism for their interference in politics, frequent foreign travels, and the cost of maintaining the Royal Family. Paul responded by economising and donated his private estate at Polidendri to the State.
  In 1959, he had an operation for a cataract, and in 1963 an emergency operation for appendicitis. In late February 1964, he underwent a further operation for stomach cancer, and died about a week later in Athens. He was succeeded by his son, Constantine II.

Greek Gold Coins 20 Drachmai 1884 King George I of Greece

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Greek Gold Coins 20 Drachmai 1884 King George I of GreeceGreek Gold Coins 20 Drachmai

Greek Gold Coins 20 Drachmai 1884 King George I of Greece

Obverse : Head of King George I of Greece.
Legend: "ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ Α! ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ "
(George I., King of the Greeks). Exergue : Date of the year of issue.
Engraver: Jean-Auguste Barre.

Reverse: The Greek shield, inclosed by heavy drapery suspended from a crown above, while on a ribbon running across the drapery, are the words "ΙΣΧΥΣ ΜΟΥ Η ΑΓΑΠΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΑΟΥ" (My strength is in my people's love).
Legend: "ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ " (Kingdom of the Greeks).
Exergue: " 20 ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ " ( 20 Drachmas ).
Engraver: Jean-Auguste Barre.

Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.900.
Weight: 6.4516 g.
AGW: 0.1867 oz.



King George I of Greece
George I (born Prince William of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg; 24 December 1845 – 18 March 1913) was King of Greece from 1863 until his death in 1913.
  Originally a Danish prince, George was born in Copenhagen, and seemed destined for a career in the Royal Danish Navy. He was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the unpopular former King Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Second French Empire and the Russian Empire. He married the Russian grand duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia, and became the first monarch of a new Greek dynasty. Two of his sisters, Alexandra and Dagmar, married into the British and Russian royal families. King Edward VII and Tsar Alexander III were his brothers-in-law and King George V and Tsar Nicholas II were his nephews.
  George's reign of almost 50 years (the longest in modern Greek history) was characterized by territorial gains as Greece established its place in pre-World War I Europe. Britain ceded the Ionian Islands peacefully, while Thessaly was annexed from the Ottoman Empire after the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). Greece was not always successful in its expansionist ambitions; it was defeated in the Greco-Turkish War (1897). During the First Balkan War, after Greek troops had occupied much of Greek Macedonia, George was assassinated in Thessaloniki. Compared to his own long tenure, the reigns of his successors Constantine, Alexander, and George proved short and insecure.

Italian Coins 100 Lire 1994 Italia Turrita

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Italian Coins 100 Lire 1994 Italia TurritaItalian Coins 100 Lire

Italian Coins 100 Lire 1994 Italia Turrita

Obverse: Profile of Italia Turrita - Female head facing left, with long hair under a turreted cap.
Lettering: REPVBBLICA ITALIANA L.CRETARA.
Engraver: Laura Cretara.

Reverse: Bird in flight at top, dolphin at bottom. Olive branch on left, wheat stalk on right. Central circle contains value and year.
Lettering: 100 LIRE R 1994.
Engraver: Laura Cretara.

Edge: Smooth and milled.
Years: 1993-2001.
Value: 100 Lire (100 ITL).
Composition: Copper-nickel.
Weight: 4.5 g.
Diameter: 22 mm.
Thickness: 1.5 mm.
Shape: Round.
The coin has been minted in 70.000.000 examples.



Italia Turrita
Italia Turrita is the national personification or allegory of Italy, characterised by a mural crown (hence turrita or "with towers" in Italian) typical of Italian civic heraldry of Medieval communal origin. In broader terms, the crown symbolizes its mostly urban history. She often holds in her hands a bunch of corn ears (a symbol of fertility and reference to the agrarian economy); during the fascist era, she held a bundle of the lictors.

  Italy’s first allegory – a laurel-crowned female head – appears on the coins coined during the Social War between the Roman Republic and several other cities of Central Italy from 91 to 88 BC. Under the emperor Augustus, an allegorical representation of Italy known as Saturnia Tellus was sculpted in marble on Ara Pacis’ external wall (13-9 BC) in Rome. Another allegory of Italy appears on the coins coined during the reign of emperor Nerva in 97 AD.
  The representation of Italia turrita was proposed under the emperor Trajan, who wanted it to be sculpted on the Trajan’s Arch erected in Benevento in 114-117, and also on one of the two Pluteos called anaglypha, four years later. Afterwards, from 130 AD on, under the emperors Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Septimius Severus and Caracalla, Roman coins reproduced the allegorical representation of Italy as a dressed and towered woman who sometimes carries a cornucopia. The towered crown is the symbol of Civitas romana, therefore the allegory shows the sovereignty of the Italian peninsula as a land of free cities and of Roman citizens to whom a proper right has been granted: the Ius Italicum.
  This mythographical setting-up of the Italian land became also popular during the Middle Ages. In 1490, Ludovico Sforza, duke of Milan, had an Italia turrita painted on a medallion of the castle in Piazza Ducale, Vigevano. The Caesaris Astrum appeared again in 1574 on the cover of Historiarium de Regno Italiae, a book written by the historian Carlo Sigonio.

Italian Coins 100 Lire 1970 Minerva

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Italian Coins 100 LireItalian Coins 100 Lire Minerva

Italian Coins 100 Lire 1970 Minerva

Obverse: Laureate head.
Lettering: REPVBBLICA ITALIANA ROMAGNOLI GIAMPAOLI INC.
Engraver: Giuseppe Romagnoli and Pietro Giampaoli.

Reverse: Minerva facing left with olive tree.
Lettering: L.100 R 1992.
Engraver: Giuseppe Romagnoli and Pietro Giampaoli.

The coin has been minted in 37.000.000 of examples.
Edge: Reeded.
Years: 1990-1992.
Value: 100 Lire (100 ITL).
Composition: Stainless Steel.
Weight: 3.30 g.
Diameter: 18.20 mm.
Thickness: 1.86 mm.
Shape: Round.



Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. She was born with weapons from the head of Jupiter. After impregnating the titaness Metis, Jupiter recalled a prophecy that his own child would overthrow him. Fearing that their child would grow stronger than him and rule the Heavens in his place, Jupiter swallowed Metis whole. The titaness forged weapons and armor for her child while within the father-god, and the constant pounding and ringing gave him a headache. To relieve the pain, Vulcan used a hammer to split Jupiter's head and, from the cleft, Minerva emerged, whole, adult, and bearing her mother's weapons and armor. From the 2nd century BC onwards, the Romans equated her with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of music, poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, and magic. She is often depicted with her sacred creature, an owl usually named as the "owl of Minerva", which symbolizes that she is connected to wisdom.

Italian Coins 500 Lire 1992 Quirinal Palace

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Italian Coins 500 LireItalian Coins 500 Lire 1992 Quirinal Palace

Italian Coins 500 Lire 1992 Quirinal Palace

Obverse: Goddess winged head, allegorical representation of the Italian Republic, at center; country name around the ring, star below.
Lettering: REPVBBLICA ITALIANA CRETARA
Engraver: Laura Cretara.

Reverse: General view of Quirinale Palace and Castor and Pollux statue seen from Piazza del Quirinale in Rome at center; face value ("L. 500") in braille at top, wheat spike on left side, olive branch on right side and face value at bottom of the ring.
Lettering: R 1985 L. 500.
Engraver: Laura Cretara.

The coin has been minted in 130.000.000 of examples.
Edge: Alternating smooth and reeded segments.
Years: 1982-2001.
Value: 500 Lire (500 ITL).
Composition: Bi-Metallic Bronzital center in Acmonital ring.
Weight: 6.8 g.
Diameter: 25.8 mm.
Thickness: 1.8 mm.
Shape: Round.


Quirinal Palace
The Quirinal Palace (known in Italian as the Palazzo del Quirinale or simply Quirinale) is a Renaissance palazzo on the Quirinal Hill in the Trevi district in Rome, one of the three current official residences of the President of the Italian Republic, together with Villa Rosebery in Naples and tenuta di Castelporziano. It is located on the Quirinal Hill, the highest of the seven hills of Rome. It has housed thirty Popes, four Kings of Italy and twelve presidents of the Italian Republic. The palace extends for an area of 110,500 square metres and is the 9th largest palace in the world in terms of area. By way of comparison, the White House complex in the United States is one-twentieth of its size.
  At the moment it its the seat of the President of Italy, but it started its existence as the summer residence of Pope Gregory XIII, who had it constructed here (in 1573) to escape from the malaria, which was a big problem in the environment of the Vatican city area during the hottest months of the year.
  The first Pope who actually lived in the Palazzo del Quirinale was Clemens VIII in 1592.
  Before the palazzo was built, a villa stood on top of this, Rome’s highest, hill. This villa was owned first by Cardinal Oliviero Carafa and then by a son of Lucrezio Borgia, Ippolito d’Este.
  It was not until around the year 1735 that the Quirinal Palace started to look the way we can admire it nowadays. Several architects, including Carlo Maderno and Gianlorenzo Bernini, contributed to the final result.
  In the times of Napoleon two different Popes (Pius VI and Pius VII) were abducted from the Quirinal Palace by the French army. The palazzo stayed in French hands until Napoleon’s defeat and the Pope was allowed to return (1814).
  Until the end of the Papal State in 1870 the Quirinal Palace continued to function as the summer residence of the Popes, 22 of whom actually died and 4 of whom were elected there (in the Capella Paolina).
  In 1870 Rome became the Italian capital, the Quirinal was to be the Royal Palace and Pope Pius IX had to vacate the premises, which he did, albeit taking the keys so the gates had to be opened with crowbars.
  The Italian Kings lived in the Quirinal until a referendum (2 June 1946) caused the abolishment of the monarchy and Italy became a Republic.
  The Quirinal Palace then became the official residence of the President. From 1962 until 1978 the presidents actually lived there, but at the moment it only has a ceremonial function.

Castor and Pollux
In Greek and Roman mythology, Castor and Pollux or Polydeuces were twin brothers, together known as the Dioskouri. Their mother was Leda, but Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta, and Pollux the divine son of Zeus, who seduced Leda in the guise of a swan. Though accounts of their birth are varied, they are sometimes said to have been born from an egg, along with their twin sisters and half-sisters Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra.
  In Latin the twins are also known as the Gemini or Castores. When Castor was killed, Pollux asked Zeus to let him share his own immortality with his twin to keep them together, and they were transformed into the constellation Gemini. The pair were regarded as the patrons of sailors, to whom they appeared as St. Elmo's fire, and were also associated with horsemanship.
  They are sometimes called the Tyndaridae or Tyndarids, later seen as a reference to their father and stepfather Tyndareus.

Italy 500 Lire Silver Coin 1967 Caravels

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Italy 500 Lire Silver CoinItaly 500 Lire Silver Coin caravels of Christopher Columbus

Italy 500 Lire Silver Coin 1967 Caravels

Obverse: Bust of woman in Renaissance dress, representing Italy, surrounded by 19 shields. From lower left the shields are: Genova, Torino, Aosta, Milano, Trento, Venezia, Trieste, Udine, Bologna, Firenze, Ancona, Perugia, Roma, L'Aquila, Napoli, Bari, Potenza, Catanzaro, Sicilia, Cagliari. The last two are hidden behind the bust. Below the name of the engraver.
Lettering: GIAMPAOLI.
Engraver: Pietro Giampaoli.

Reverse: Christopher Columbus's ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria sailing to right. Below the value, with mint mark and name of the author (within sea waves).
Lettering: REPVBBLICA ITALIANA VEROI L. 500 R.
Engraver: Guido Veroi.

Edge: Raised lettering with the date within six stars (three for each sides).
Lettering: REPVBBLICA ITALIANA ***1967***.

The coin has been minted in 24.240.000 examples.
Years: 1958-2001.
Value: 500 Lire (500 ITL).
Metal: Silver (.835).
Weight: 11 g.
Diameter: 29.3 mm.
Thickness: 2 mm.
Shape: Round.



Italy 500 Lire Silver Coin 1961 Italian Unification Centennial

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Italy 500 Lire Silver CoinItaly 500 Lire Silver Coin 1961 Italian Unification Centennial

Italy 500 Lire Silver Coin 1961 Italian Unification Centennial 1861-1961
Commemorative issue: Celebrating the Centenary of Unification of Italy 1861-1961

Obverse: Allegory of Italy seated on a capital, with her right arm raised holding an olve branch, and an Greek Corinthian helmet on her left side. In the exergue the name of the engraver.
Lettering: REPUBBLICA*ITALIANA VEROI.
Engraver: Guido Veroi.

Reverse: A quadriga running left, with dates above and below horses. Below tha value and mintmark.
Lettering: 1861 1961 L.500 R.
Engraver: Guido Veroi.

Edge: Smooth with inscription.
Lettering: 1° CENTENARIO VNITA D'ITALIA *1861-1961*
Translation: First Centenary of the Unity of Italy.

The coin has been minted in 27.120.000 examples.
Metal: Silver (.835).
Weight: 11 g.
Diameter: 29.3 mm.
Thickness: 1.9 mm.
Shape: Round.


Italy 500 Lire Silver Coin 1965 Dante Alighieri

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Italy 500 Lire Silver Coin, Dante AlighieriItaly 500 Lire Silver Coin

Italy 500 Lire Silver Coin 1965 Dante Alighieri
Commemorative issue: celebrating the 700th Anniversary of the birth of Dante Alighieri

Obverse: Head of Poet Dante Alighieri facing left. On his head a lauerel crown. Below the name of engraver and author on two lines.
Lettering: REPVBBLICA ITALIANA SCULT G • VERGINELLI INC • G • MONASSI.
Engraver: Goffredo Verginelli.

Reverse: Flames surmounted by clouds and sun rays with 10 little stars within; allegorical symbols of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise (the three books of the trilogy of the Divine Commedy, a masterpiece of world literature). In exergue indication of the value, under which lies the date. Right of the flames the mint mark.
Lettering: R L. 500 1965.
Engraver: Guerrino Mattia Monassi.

Edge: Inscription in relief.
Lettering: 7° CENTENARIO DELLA NASCITA DI DANTE.

The coin has been minted in 4.272.000 examples.
Value: 500 Lire (500 ITL).
Metal: Silver (.835).
Weight: 11 g.
Diameter: 29.3 mm.
Shape: Round.



Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, simply called Dante (c. 1265–1321), was a major Italian poet of the late Middle Ages. His Divine Comedy, originally called Comedìa (modern Italian: Commedia) and later christened Divina by Boccaccio, is widely considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature.
  In the late Middle Ages, the overwhelming majority of poetry was written in Latin, and therefore accessible only to affluent and educated audiences. In De vulgari eloquentia (On Eloquence in the Vernacular), however, Dante defended use of the vernacular in literature. He himself would even write in the Tuscan dialect for works such as The New Life (1295) and the aforementioned Divine Comedy; this choice, although highly unorthodox, set a hugely important precedent that later Italian writers such as Petrarch and Boccaccio would follow. As a result, Dante played an instrumental role in establishing the national language of Italy. Dante's significance also extends past his home country; his depictions of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven have provided inspiration for a large body of Western art, and are cited as an influence on the works of John Milton, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, and Lord Alfred Tennyson, among many others. In addition, the first use of the interlocking three-line rhyme scheme, or the terza rima, is attributed to him.
  Dante has been called "the Father of the Italian language". In Italy, Dante is often referred to as il Sommo Poeta ("the Supreme Poet") and il Poeta; he, Petrarch, and Boccaccio are also called "the three fountains" or "the three crowns".

France 100 Francs 15 Ecus Silver Coin 1993 Triumphal Arch

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France 100 Francs 15 Ecus Silver Coin 1993 Triumphal Arch - Arc de TriompheFrance 100 Francs 15 Ecus Silver Coin

France 100 Francs 15 Ecus Silver Coin 1993 Triumphal Arch
Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile

Obverse: The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile from the Champs-Élysées (Triumphal Arch of the Star)
Lettering: ARC DE TRIOMPHE DE L'ETOILE 1993
Engraver: Pierre Rodier

Reverse: Stars surround denominations, (100 FRANCS 15 ecus)
Lettering: RÉPUBLIQUE 100 FRANCS 15 ecus FRANÇAISE

Edge: Smooth.
Value: 100 Francs = 15 ECU (100 FRF).
Metal: Silver ( .900 ).
Weight: 22.2 g.
Diameter: 37 mm.
Shape: Round.



Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (Triumphal Arch of the Star) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Étoile), at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. It should not be confused with a smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, which stands west of the Louvre. The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.
  The Arc de Triomphe is the linchpin of the Axe historique (historic axis) – a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route which runs from the courtyard of the Louvre to the Grande Arche de la Défense. The monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806 and its iconographic program pits heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in chain mail. It set the tone for public monuments with triumphant patriotic messages.
  The monument stands 50 metres (164 ft) in height, 45 m (148 ft) wide and 22 m (72 ft) deep. The large vault is 29.19 m (95.8 ft) high and 14.62 m (48.0 ft) wide. The small vault is 18.68 m (61.3 ft) high and 8.44 m (27.7 ft) wide. Its design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. The Arc de Triomphe is built on such a large scale that, three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919 (marking the end of hostilities in World War I), Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane through it, with the event captured on newsreel.
  It was the tallest triumphal arch in existence until the completion of the Monumento a la Revolución in Mexico City in 1938, which is 67 metres (220 ft) high. The Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, completed in 1982, is modelled on the Arc de Triomphe and is slightly taller at 60 m (197 ft).

France 10 Euro Silver Coin 2011 UNESCO Palace of Versailles

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France 10 Euro Silver Coin 2011 Palace of VersaillesFrance 10 Euro Silver Coin 2011 UNESCO Palace of Versailles

France 10 Euro Silver Coin 2011 UNESCO Palace of Versailles
Commemorative issue: Palace of Versailles

Launched in 2007 with the Great Wall of China, the UNESCO World Heritage Site series is an opportunity for Monnaie de Paris to travel the world. In 2011, the series stops over in France to pay homage to one of the country’s most prestigious structures: the Palace of Versailles, which was the residence of kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. A symbol of royal power and the influence of French culture in the 18th century, with 67,000 sq. m, 900 rooms, 93 hectares of gardens and 10 million visitors, this site is now the most visited in France and one of the most well known sites in the world. The site has taken a decisive step into modernity over the past few years, hosting exhibitions of works by contemporary artists Jeff Koons in 2008, Xavier Veilhans in 2009 and Takashi Murakami in 2010. 

Obverse: The facade of the Palace of Versailles is featured prominently on the obverse. An ornate and radiant anthropomorphized sun — the symbol of King Louis XIV — hangs over the palace. Beneath the palace are the French-style gardens and a profile of Neptune is in the foreground, with the inscription "CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES" around the bottom rim.

Reverse: The reverse is divided into three sections. The first (top left) section carries the denomination, year-date, the World Heritage logo, and the motto "PATRIMOINE MONDIAL DE L'UNESCO," or "World Heritage of UNESCO." The bottom section is filled by a floral pattern and honours natural heritage as symbolized by flora, while the right section is occupied by a stone-brick background and honours architectural heritage. The blank Y-shape field that divides these sections is an overhead view of the UNESCO building's Paris headquarters.
Lettering: 10 EURO 2011 PATRIMOINE MONDIAL DE L'UNESCO

Edge Smooth
MetalSilver (.900)
Weight22.2 g
Diameter37 mm
ShapeRound

  The 2011 10 Euro Silver Proof UNESCO Palace of Versailles coin comes from Le Monnaie de Paris, or the Paris Mint. Containing 0.6424 troy oz ASW (actual silver weight), this coin pays tribute to UNESCO World Heritage, a United Nations organization aimed at preserving culture around the globe. This 0.900 fine silver coin is legal tender worth 10 Euro in the European Union.
  France has long been active in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), ratifying its adherence to the World Heritage Convention in the year of the organization's inception, 1975. Known for its acute treatment of aesthetics, art, and cultural refinement, France has historically been a world leader in the advancement of science and culture. As an iconic hallmark of French architecture, Versailles is a fitting example of this cultural initiative. The palace is even more pleasing in proof finish.



Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles, former French royal residence and centre of government, now a national landmark. It is located in the city of Versailles, Yvelines département, Île-de-France région, northern France, 10 miles (16 km) west-southwest of Paris. As the centre of the French court, Versailles was one of the grandest theatres of European absolutism.
  The original residence, built from 1631 to 1634, was primarily a hunting lodge and private retreat for Louis XIII (reigned 1610–1643) and his family. Under the guidance of Louis XIV (1643–1715), it was transformed (1661–1710) into an immense and extravagant complex surrounded by stylized English and French gardens; every detail of its construction glorified the king. The additions were designed by such renowned architects as Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Robert de Cotte, and Louis Le Vau. Charles Le Brun oversaw the interior decoration. Landscape artist André Le Nôtre created symmetrical French gardens that included ornate fountains with “magically” still water, expressing the power of humanity — and, specifically, the king — over nature.
  Declared the official royal residence in 1682 and the official residence of the court of France on May 6, 1682, the Palace of Versailles was abandoned after the death of Louis XIV in 1715. In 1722, however, it was returned to its status as royal residence. Further additions were made during the reigns of Louis XV (1715–1774) and Louis XVI (1774–1792). Following the French Revolution of 1789, the complex was nearly destroyed; it was subsequently restored by Louis-Philippe (1830–1848), but its utility gradually decreased. By the 20th century, though it was occasionally used for plenary congresses of the French parliament or as housing for visiting heads of state, the primary utility of the palace lay in tourism.
  Among the most famous rooms in the palace are the Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors; 1678–1689) and the other Grands Appartements (State Rooms). The former is characterized by 17 wide, arcaded mirrors opposite 17 windows; glass chandeliers hang from its arched, ornately painted ceiling, and gilded statues and reliefs border its walls. The hall is flanked on opposite ends by the equally striking Salon de la Paix (Salon of Peace) and Salon de la Guerre (Salon of War). It was in the Galerie des Glaces that the Treaty of Versailles was signed by the Allies and Germany in 1919. Other important sites are the Grand Trianon (1678–1688) and the late 18th-century Petit Trianon, which were built as private residences for the royal family and special guests. The Museum of French History, founded in 1837 during the period of restoration overseen by Louis-Philippe, was consecrated “to all the glories of France”; however, its 6,000 paintings and 2,000 sculptures are largely closed to the public.
  UNESCO designated the palace and its gardens a World Heritage site in 1979. Following a devastating winter storm in 1989, which destroyed more than 1,000 trees on the palace grounds, the French government initiated a wide-ranging project of repair and renovation. A severe windstorm in 1999 caused the loss of some 10,000 trees, including several planted by Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte. The château was also damaged. In the late 1990s some nine million people visited the palace annually.

France 1 1/2 Euro Silver Coin 2003 Mona Lisa

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France 1 1/2 Euro Silver Coin 2003 Mona LisaFrance 1 1/2 Euro Silver Coin Leonardo da Vinci

France 1 1/2 Euro Silver Coin 2003 Mona Lisa
Commemorative issue: 500th Anniversary of the Mona Lisa
To pay tribute to one of the most famous, and well known works of art in history, France issued this silver coin in 2003 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Mona Lisa. The great artist and inventor Leonardo Da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503, bid did not finish the masterpiece until several years later. It is now one of the star attractions at the Louvre in Paris.

Obverse: Mona Lisa “La Gioconda”, by Leonardo da Vinci.
Lettering: 1503-MONA LISA-2003 RF.

Reverse: Self Portrait (detail) of Leonardo da Vinci. The national motto of France - Liberté Égalité Fraternité "liberty, equality, fraternity" and face value (1 ½ euro), date at the bottom.
Lettering: Liberté Égalité Fraternité 1 ½ euro 2003.

Metal: Silver (.900).
Weight: 22.20 g.
Diameter: 37 mm.
Shape: Round.



Mona Lisa “La Gioconda”
Mona Lisa, oil painting on a poplar wood panel by the Italian painter, draftsman, sculptor, architect, and engineer Leonardo da Vinci, probably the world’s most-famous painting. It was painted sometime between 1503 and 1506, when Leonardo was living in Florence, and it now hangs in the Louvre, in Paris, where it remains an object of pilgrimage in the 21st century. The poplar panel shows evidence of warping and was stabilized in 1951 with the addition of an oak frame and in 1970 with four vertical braces. Dovetails also were added, to prevent the widening of a small crack visible near the centre of the upper edge of the painting. The sitter’s mysterious smile and her unproven identity have made the painting a source of ongoing investigation and fascination.

The Mona Lisa and its influence
These signs of aging distract little from the painting’s effect. In its exquisite synthesis of sitter and landscape, the Mona Lisa set the standard for all future portraits. The painting presents a woman in half-body portrait, which has as a backdrop a distant landscape. Yet this simple description of a seemingly standard composition gives little sense of Leonardo’s achievement. The sensuous curves of the sitter’s hair and clothing, created through sfumato (use of fine shading), are echoed in the shapes of the valleys and rivers behind her. The sense of overall harmony achieved in the painting — especially apparent in the sitter’s faint smile — reflects Leonardo’s idea of the cosmic link connecting humanity and nature, making this painting an enduring record of Leonardo’s vision.
  There has been much speculation and debate regarding the identity of the portrait’s sitter. Scholars and historians have posited numerous interpretations, including that she is Lisa del Giocondo (née Gherardini), the wife of the Florentine merchant Francesco di Bartolomeo del Giocondo, hence the alternative title to the work, La Gioconda. That identity was first suggested in 1550 by artist biographer Giorgio Vasari. Another theory was that the model may have been Leonardo’s mother, Caterina. That interpretation was put forth by, among others, Sigmund Freud, who seemed to think that the Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile emerged from a — perhaps unconscious — memory of Caterina’s smile. A third suggestion was that the painting was, in fact, Leonardo’s self-portrait, given the resemblance between the sitter’s and the artist’s facial features. Some scholars suggested that disguising himself as a woman was the artist’s riddle. The sitter’s identity has not been conclusively proven. In an attempt to settle the debate, art and forensic experts in August 2013 opened the tomb of the Giocondo family in Florence in order to find Lisa del Giocondo’s remains, test her DNA, and recreate an image of her face.
  Whatever the sitter’s identity, the influence of the Mona Lisa on the Renaissance and later times has been enormous. The Mona Lisa revolutionized contemporary portrait painting. Leonardo’s preliminary drawings encouraged other artists to make more and freer studies for their paintings and stimulated connoisseurs to collect those drawings. Through the drawings his Milanese works were made known to the Florentines. Also, his reputation and stature as an artist and thinker spread to his fellow artists and assured for them a freedom of action and thought similar to his own. One such painter was the young Raphael, who sketched Leonardo’s work in progress and adopted the Mona Lisa format for his portraits; it served as a clear model for his Portrait of Maddalena Doni (c. 1506).
  Leonardo even influenced the fashion in which artists dressed their subjects. In his Treatise on Painting, published long after his death, he wrote that art should avoid the fashion:

As far as possible avoid the costumes of your own day.…Costumes of our period should not be depicted unless it be on tombstones, so that we may be spared being laughed at by our successors for the mad fashions of men and leave behind only things that may be admired for their dignity and beauty.

  The Mona Lisa demonstrates this aspect of his treatise perfectly in that La Giaconda is dressed in a coloured shift, loosely pleated at the neck, instead of the tight clothes that were then popular.

French Coins 5 Francs 1973 Sower

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French Coins 5 Francs SowerFrench Coins 5 Francs

French Coins 5 Francs 1973 Sower

Obverse: The Sower, designed by Oscar Roty in 1900: a national emblem of the French Republic
Lettering: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE O. Roty
Engraver: Louis-Oscar Roty

Reverse: Olive branches, oak branches and sweat ears, Underneath the facial value, are surrounded with the French motto: "LIBERTE • EGALITE • FRATERNITE"

NOTE: different privy marks throughout mintages.
Torch 1896-1930 Henry Patey.
Wing 1931-Oct. 1958 Lucien Bazor.
Owl 1958-1974 Raymond Joly.
Dolphin 1974-1994 Rousseau.
Bee 1994- Pierre Rodier.

Lettering: LIBERTE • EGALITE • FRATERNITE 5 FRANCS 1973.
Translation: Liberty • Equality • Fraternity 5 Francs 1973.
Engraver: Louis-Oscar Roty.

Edge: Reeded.
Composition: Copper-nickel.
Weight:  10 g.
Diameter:  29 mm.
Thickness:2.09 mm.
Shape:          Round.



The Sower
Originally designed in 1898 by French engraver Louis Oscar Roty, 1846 to 1911. Roty was a prolific sculpture and engraver. His works can be found in most major European museums. His best known work is probably Semeuse, The Sower which has now appeared on various French coins for over a century, having first appeared on an 1898 5 francs essai, and then having transferred to the euro 20 cents.
She is shown wearing a Phrygian cap (Liberty Cap or Bonnet Phrygien), a soft, red, conical cap with the top pulled forward, originally worn in antiquity by the inhabitants of Phrygia, a region of central Anatolia. It was worn by freed Roman slaves, was adopted as a symbol of freedom or revolution during the French Revolution, and is now often used to represent freedom, or the search for liberty. It appear on US and other American coins, sometimes shown on a short pole.
Phrygian caps are also worn by Smurfs (Schtoumpfs)

French Gold Coins 100 Francs 1986 Robert Schuman

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French Gold Coins 100 Francs Robert SchumanFrench Gold Coins 100 Francs Rooster

French Gold Coins 100 Francs 1986 Robert Schuman
Commemorative issue: 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Robert Schuman

Obverse: on the right side head of French politician Robert Schuman facing right; on the left side letter E composed of 12 five-pointed stars - symbol of the European Union; along the right edge motto of France: LIBERTÉ • ÉGALITÉ • FRATERNITÉ (liberty, equality, fraternity), along the bottom left edge with concave lettering: ROBERT SCHUMAN.
Lettering: LIBERTÉ·ÉGALITÉ·FRATERNITÉ ROBERT SCHUMAN.
Engraver: John Lobban.

Reverse: in the coin centre stylised neck and head of a Rooster - one of symbols of France; on the right in two lines concave face value: 10 FRANCS, below concave year of issue 1986; along the left edge: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (French Republic).
Lettering: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE 10 FRANCS 1986 LOBBAN.
Engraver: John Lobban.

Designer: Atelier de gravure (group of designers of the Paris Mint - rosette below rooster's neck in the obverse) based on design of John Lobban (signature LOBBAN along the rooster's neck in the obverse).

Mint: Paris Mint mark La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before RÉPUBLIQUE in the obverse, after FRANÇAISE privy mark of mint's director Émile Rousseau - dolphin).

Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.920.
Weight: 7.0000 g.
AGW: 0.2070 oz.
Diameter: 21 mm.



Robert Schuman
Robert Schuman (born June 29, 1886, Luxembourg — died Sept. 4, 1963, Metz, France), Luxembourgian-born French statesman who founded the European Coal and Steel Community and worked for economic and political unity designed to lead to the establishment of a “United States of Europe.”
  Schuman, a member of the French National Assembly from 1919, was arrested by the German Gestapo in September 1940 after the German occupation of France. He escaped in 1942 and worked in the Résistance until France was liberated (1944). A founder of the Popular Republican Movement (Mouvement Républicain Populaire; MRP), he served as minister of finance (July–November 1946), premier (November 1947–July 1948 and August–September 1948), foreign minister (July 1948 – December 1952), and minister of justice (1955–1956).
  While foreign minister he developed the Schuman Plan (1950) to promote European economic and military unity and a Franco-German rapprochement to prevent another war between the two nations. The economic aspects of his plan were realized in 1952 in the European Coal and Steel Community, a six-nation western European economic union, the first in a series of economic agreements leading to the formation of the European Economic Community (Common Market) in 1958. He served as president of the Common Assembly, the consultative arm of the Common Market, from 1958 to 1960 and was an Assembly member until February 1963.

France 100 Francs Silver Coin 1984 Marie Curie

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France 100 Francs Silver Coin Marie CurieFrance 100 Francs Silver Coin

France 100 Francs Silver Coin 1984 Marie Curie
Commemorative issue: 50th Anniversary of the Death of Marie Curie

Obverse: A portrait in right profile of Marie Curie is surrounded with the legend "• MARIE CURIE • • 1867 - 1934 • ".
Lettering: · MARIE CURIE · · 1867 - 1934 · CORBIN.
Engraver: Raymond Corbin.

Reverse: Two crossed laureate wreaths celebrating Marie Curie two Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and Physics. They are surrounded by the motto "FREEDOM - EQUALITY - FRATERNITY" and the inscription: "FRENCH REPUBLIC".
Lettering: · REPUBLIQUE · LIBERTE-EGALITE-FRATERNITE FRANÇAISE 1984 PHYSIQUE CHIMIE 100 F.
Engraver: Raymond Corbin.

Metal: Silver (.900).
Weight: 15 g.
Diameter: 31 mm.
Thickness: 2.10 mm.

Marie Curie, née Maria Salomea Skłodowska (born November 7, 1867, Warsaw, Congress Kingdom of Poland, Russian Empire — died July 4, 1934, near Sallanches, France), Polish-born French physicist, famous for her work on radioactivity and twice a winner of the Nobel Prize. With Henri Becquerel and her husband, Pierre Curie, she was awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics. She was the sole winner of the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and she is the only woman to win the award in two different fields.



Marie Skłodowska-Curie on banknotes








French Coins 5 Francs 1992 Pierre Mendes-France

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French Coins 5 Francs Pierre Mendes FranceFrench Coins 5 Francs

French Coins 5 Francs 1992 Pierre Mendes France
Commemorative issue: 10th Anniversary of the Death of Pierre Mendès-France

Obverse: Bust of former French Prime Minister Pierre Mendes-France en face; on the right in two lines vertically concave inscription: PIERRE / MENDÉS FRANCE.
Lettering: Pierre Mendès France ER.
Engraver: Émile Rousseau.

Reverse: on the left side face value: 5 F (FRANCS), irregularly crossing stripes in the background; on the right in three lines vertically concave inscription: RÉPUBLIQUE / FRANÇAISE / 1992 (French Republic 1992).
Lettering: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE 1992 5F.
Engraver: Émile Rousseau.

Edge: Reeded.
Composition: Nickel.
Weight: 10 g.
Diameter: 29 mm.
Thickness: 2 mm.
Shape: Round.



Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès-France, (born Jan. 11, 1907, Paris, France — died Oct. 18, 1982, Paris), French socialist statesman and premier (June 1954 – February 1955) whose negotiations ended French involvement in the Indochina War. He was distinguished for his efforts to invigorate the Fourth Republic and the Radical Party.
  Born into a Jewish family, Mendès-France became a lawyer and was a Radical–Socialist deputy for the Eure département from 1932 to 1940. He was undersecretary of state for finance under Léon Blum from March to June 1938. After serving in the air force in World War II and being imprisoned by the Vichy government, he escaped in June 1941, reached London in February 1942, and joined the Free French air force. From November 1943 to April 1945, he served under General Charles de Gaulle, first as commissioner for finance and then as minister of national economy. His austere policies, designed to halt inflation, alienated his colleagues and led to his resignation in April 1945.
  A deputy again from June 1946, Mendès-France came to the fore as a severe critic of successive governments’ policies on economics, the war in Indochina, and North Africa. After the French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu by the Viet Minh in May 1954, he became premier on the pledge that he would end France’s involvement in Indochina within 30 days. His promise was fulfilled at the revitalized Geneva conferences, and an armistice line was drawn between the two halves of Vietnam at the 17th parallel. He then paved the way for Tunisian autonomy and assisted the defeat of the European Defense Community, accepting instead a British plan for German rearmament. Again Mendès-France’s policies made him unpopular, and, on Feb. 5, 1955, he was defeated. The immediate cause of his fall was his proposed economic-reform program.
  Mendès-France then worked to capture the Radical Party and at first succeeded. He wanted to make the party the centre of the noncommunist left. A leader of the left-centre Front Républicain in the general elections of 1956, he was deputy premier without portfolio in Guy Mollet’s government from February to May 1956, when he resigned on Mollet’s refusal to adopt a liberal policy in Algeria. Because he opposed de Gaulle’s accession to power, Mendès-France was not reelected to the National Assembly in 1958. His influence in the Radical Party declining, he resigned in 1959.
  In the presidential election of 1965 he supported François Mitterrand against de Gaulle, and in 1967 he regained his seat in the National Assembly; but he never attracted a substantial group of followers who shared his hostility to the Fifth Republic’s presidential government.
  Mendès-France published several books on political and economic topics.

French Gold Coins 1 Franc 1988 Charles de Gaulle

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French Gold Coins 1 Franc Charles de GaulleFrench Gold Coins 1 Franc

French Gold Coins 1 Franc 1988 Charles de Gaulle
Commemorative issue: 30th Anniversary of the Fifth Republic

Obverse: in the coin centre head of Charles de Gaulle facing right; along the top edge: CHARLES DE GAULLE; along the bottom edge: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (French Republic); between the inscriptions Crosses of Lorraine.
Lettering: CHARLES DE GAULLE REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE.
Engraver: E. Rousseau.

Reverse: in the coin centre face value: 1 F. (FRANC) inside six hexagons; along the top edge motto of France: LIBERTÉ • ÉGALITÉ • FRATERNITÉ (liberty, equality, fraternity); along the bottom edge dates: 1958 • 1988.
Lettering: LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE 1 F 1958.1988.
Engraver: E. Rousseau.

Designer: Émile Rousseau (initials ER in the obverse below de Gaulle's head)
Mint: Paris Mint mark La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year 1958 in the reverse, after year 1988 privy mark of designer and mint director Emile Rousseau - dolphin)

Edge: Smooth.
Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.920.
Weight: 9 g.
AGW: 0.2662 oz.
Diameter: 24 mm.


  French commemorative coin with denomination of 1 franc from 1988 commemorates the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the French Fifth Republic. On October 5, 1958 owing to de Gaulle the new constitution gave some real executive power to the president. Also the rules of his election were changed. In post-war France (The Fourth Republic), the president was elected by the electoral college and thus he was rather a political puppet than a co-ruler. In 1962, de Gaulle also convinced the French to change the election system for the head of state. In a national referendum, the French supported the changes. Henceforth, the president was to be elected directly. In this way not only he gained the common legitimacy, but also the highest power in comparison to European presidents.

  In the coin reverse there is a hexagon (in French l'Hexagone), which is among the French a nickname for their country. Indeed the shape of the Metropolitan France reminds this geometric figure.

  The Paris Mint (La Monnaie de Paris) dating back to the 6th century is the oldest French institution, and some would say - oldest institution in the world. The mint office is located in the center of Paris in a complex called Hotel des Monnaies, which was opened on December 20, 1775. A cornucopia is the symbol placed on any coin minted by the Paris Mint from January 1, 1880. The second character visible on coins was a symbol of the general engraver (Graveur general). The tradition of this job dates back to 1547 when Henry II of Valois appointed a general engraver as the only person authorized to create the king's portrait. Only the design prepared by the general engraver could have been copied to the coins stamps in national mints. Starting from 2001, the heads of engravers workshop in the Paris Mint do not hold this traditional title anymore, but their privy marks still appear on French coins next to the mint mark.

  The name of the French mint - La Monnaie de Paris - suggests that the plant producing coins is located in the French capital. This is however, only the company name and factories were placed in various French cities. At the moment, the only place producing coins of France (and of some other countries) is Pessac near Bordeaux.

French Coins 1 Franc 1995 Institut de France

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French Coins 1 Franc 1995 Institut de FranceFrench Coins 1 Franc 1995 200th Anniversary of the Institut de France

French Coins 1 Franc 1995 Institut de France
Commemorative issue: 200th Anniversary of the Institut de France

The commemorative coin of 1 franc from 1995 commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Institut de France (French Institute). This French scientific society was founded on October 25, 1795 and brings together five academies (académies), of which the most famous and oldest is the French Academy. The seat of the Institute is located on the southern bank of Seine vis-à-vis the Louvre. Both buildings are connected by the famous bridge Pont des Arts.

Obverse: in the coin centre the dome of Institut de France divides face value: 1 / F (FRANC), along the top edge in two lines: • RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE • / INSTITUT DE FRANCE (French Republic, Institut de France); on the bottom year of issue 1995.
Lettering: INSTITUT DE FRANCE • REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE • R C.
Engraver: R. Corbin.

Reverse: in the coin centre inside a rectangle burning fasces lictoriae, around four sides of rectangle inscription: INSTITVT / NATIONAL / DES SCIENCES / ET ARTS (National Institute of Science and Arts); on the sides and above laurel branches; on the bottom date: 1795; along the bottom edge motto of France: LIBERTÉ - ÉGALITÉ - FRATERNITÉ (liberty, equality, fraternity)
Lettering: INSTITVT DES SCIENCES ET ARTS 1795 LIBERTÉ - ÉGALITÉ - FRATERNITÉ.
Engraver: R. Corbin.

Fasces lictoriae was a symbol of power in the Roman Empire. Lictors were leading procession of rulers and officials carrying in hands the rods and an ax tied together with a strap. Amount of rods was related to the position in the political hierarchy. The symbolism of fasces was adapted by the Republicans and the fasces is today placed in French Coat of Arms. The word fasces gave the name to a political system - fascism.

Designer: Raymond Corbin (initials R.C. divided by the institute's dome on the bottom of the obverse).
Mint: Paris Mint mark La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year 1795 in the reverse, after year 1795 privy mark of mint's director Pierre Rodier - bee).
Mintage: 4 976011.

Edge: Reeded.
Composition: Nickel.
Weight: 6 g.
Diameter: 24 mm.
Thickness: 1.70 mm.
Shape: Round.



French Coins 10 Francs 1987 King Hugh Capet

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French Coins 10 Francs King Hugh CapetFrench Coins 10 Francs 1987 1000th Anniversary of Hugh Capet

French Coins 10 Francs 1987 King Hugh Capet
Commemorative issue: 1000th Anniversary of Hugh Capet
Millennium of Capetian Dynasty

Obverse: in the coin centre figure of King Hugh Capet from the tomb sculpture en face; crosses in the background; along the top edge: MILLENAIRE CAPETIEN (millennium of the Capetians); along the bottom edge dates: 987 1987.
Lettering: MILLENAIRE CAPETIEN 987 1987.
Engraver: Gérard Baldrati.

Reverse: in the coin centre in two lines face value: 10 FRANCS, below year of issue 1987; all in a ring; along the edge: + REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE + LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE (French Republic, liberty, equality, fraternity).
Lettering: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE + LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE + 10 Francs 1987 G.BALDRATI.
Engraver: Gérard Baldrati.

Designer: Atelier de gravure (group of designers of the Paris Mint - rosette after FRANCS in the obverse) based on design of Gérard Baldrati (signature G.BALDRATI after the rosette at the right edge of the ring in the obverse).
Mint: Paris Mint mark La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year of issue 1987 in the obverse, after year of issue privy mark of mint's director Émile Rousseau - dolphin).
Mintage: 19948451 + 10205 in annual boxed sets.

Edge: Smooth.
Composition: Cupro-nickel Aluminium.
Weight: 10 g.
Diameter: 26 mm.
Thickness: 2.5 mm.
Shape: Round.



Hugh Capet, King of the Franks of the House of Capet 
Hugh Capet, French Hugues Capet (born 938 — died October 14, 996, Paris, France), king of France from 987 to 996, and the first of a direct line of 14 Capetian kings of that country. The Capetian dynasty derived its name from his nickname (Latin capa, “cape”).
  Hugh was the eldest son of Hugh the Great, duke of the Franks. On his father’s death in 956, Hugh Capet inherited vast estates in the regions of Paris and Orléans, extending in some places south of the Loire River. He thus became one of the most powerful vassals in the kingdom and a serious danger to the Carolingian king, Lothar. Hugh married Adelaide, daughter of William III, duke of Aquitaine, in 970, but his efforts to extend his influence into that southwestern kingdom were unsuccessful. From 978 to 986 Hugh was allied with the German emperors Otto II and Otto III and with Adalbero, archbishop of Reims, in political intrigues against the Carolingian king. By 985 Hugh was actually the ruler in all but title; and, after the brief reign of Lothar’s son, Louis V (986–987), Hugh was elected king of France in May 987 by the assembly of Frankish magnates. Adalbero was able to convince the magnates that the crown was elective rather than hereditary and that Charles of Lorraine, the only legitimate Carolingian contender, was unfit to rule. Hugh was crowned at Noyon on July 5, 987. Scholars are generally agreed that Hugh’s election was not a revolutionary action. His grandfather Robert I, his great-uncle Eudes, and his uncle Rudolf (Raoul) had all earlier been non-Carolingian kings.
  Hugh’s reign was marked by the unavailing efforts of Charles of Lorraine (imprisoned 991) to assert himself and by continual conflict between Eudes I, count of Blois, and Fulk Nerra of Anjou, whom Hugh later supported. In 993 Eudes was aided by the bishop of Laon in an unsuccessful conspiracy to deliver Hugh and his son Robert over to Otto III. That no one was punished for the incident indicated the weakness of the new Capetian dynasty. Hugh’s crown was probably preserved by the inability of his enemies to coordinate their activities against him.
  The Capetian dynasty’s subsequent rule for more than 300 years has invested Hugh Capet’s reign with a greater significance than his actual achievements merit. Very soon after ascending the throne, Hugh Capet arranged the coronation (December 987) of his own son, Robert, who upon Hugh’s death succeeded to the throne without difficulty. This practice of crowning the heir during the father’s lifetime was continued by the Capetians until the time of Louis VII and undoubtedly contributed to the dynasty’s stability and longevity.

French Coins 10 Francs 1985 Victor Hugo

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French Coins 10 Francs Victor HugoFrench Coins 10 Francs 1985 Victor Hugo

French Coins 10 Francs 1985 Victor Hugo
Commemorative issue: 100th Anniversary of the Death of Victor Hugo

Obverse: in the coin centre bust of Victor Hugo en face; on the left in three lines: 1885 - 1985; along the left edge: VICTOR HUGO; along the right edge a laurel branch
edge: plain with concave inscription: LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ (motto of France - liberty, equality, fraternity) divided by olive branch, laurel branch and cereal ear
NOTE: Rim types "Tranche A" and "Tranche B".
Lettering: VICTOR HUGO 1885 1985 C.LESOT.
Engraver: Claude Lesot.

Reverse: on top of the coin in two lines face value: 10 FRANCS; in coin centre scene from the novel "Les Miserables" Cosette and Gavroche at the barricade; next to it there is a manustript, a quill and a mask; below signature of Victor Hugo; along the bottom edge: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (French Republic) divided by year of issue 1985.
Lettering: 10 FRANCS Victor Hugo RÉPUBLIQUE 1985 FRANÇAISE.
Engraver: Claude Lesot.

Edge: Smooth with inscription.
Lettering: LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE.

Metal: Copper-nickel Aluminium.
Weight: 10 g.
Diameter: 26 mm.
Thickness: 2.5 mm.
Shape: Round.

Designer: Claude Lesot (signature G.LESOT along the bottom edge of the obverse)
Mint: Paris Mint mark La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year of issue 1985 in the obverse, after year of issue privy mark of mint's director Émile Rousseau - dolphin).
Mintage: 9 988 011 + 12 500 in annual boxed sets.



Victor Hugo
Victor Marie Hugo (26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic movement. He is considered one of the greatest and best-known French writers. In France, Hugo's literary fame comes first from his poetry and then from his novels and his dramatic achievements. Among many volumes of poetry, Les Contemplations and La Légende des siècles stand particularly high in critical esteem. Outside France, his best-known works are the novels Les Misérables, 1862, and Notre-Dame de Paris, 1831 (known in English as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame). He also produced more than 4,000 drawings, which have since been admired for their beauty, and earned widespread respect as a campaigner for social causes such as the abolition of capital punishment.
  Though a committed royalist when he was young, Hugo's views changed as the decades passed, and he became a passionate supporter of republicanism; his work touches upon most of the political and social issues and the artistic trends of his time. He is buried in the Panthéon. His legacy has been honoured in many ways, including his portrait being placed on francs.


Les Misérables
Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original French title. However, several alternatives have been used, including The Miserable, The Wretched, The Miserable Ones, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, The Victims and The Dispossessed. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, the novel follows the lives and interactions of several characters, particularly the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption.
  Examining the nature of law and grace, the novel elaborates upon the history of France, the architecture and urban design of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, antimonarchism, justice, religion, and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. Les Misérables has been popularized through numerous adaptations for the stage, television, and film, including a musical and a film adaptation of that musical.
  The appearance of the novel was highly anticipated and advertised. Critical reactions were diverse, but most of them were negative. Commercially, the work was a great success globally.

French Coins 10 Francs 1988 Roland Garros

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French Coins 10 Francs, French pilot Roland GarrosFrench Coins 10 Francs 1988 100th Anniversary of Roland Garros

French Coins 10 Francs 1988 French pilot Roland Garros
Commemorative issue: 100th Anniversary of Roland Garros
The commemorative coin of 10 francs from 1988 commemorating the 100th anniversary of birth of Roland Garros (1888-1918) - French aviator, fighter pilot during the First World War, who was the first to shoot down the enemy using guns shooting through the propeller. This construction he developed together with airplanes designer Raymond Saulnier. Garros participated in air races. He has also set many records of flight altitude and distance.

Obverse: in the coin centre bust of French pilot Roland Garros facing slightly right; above French monoplane fighter aircraft Morane-Saulnier N (Roland Garros used this aircraft to become the first person to fit a system which enabled him to shoot between the propeller with his machine gun); along the bottom edge: ROLAND GARROS; along the top edge: 1888-1918.
Lettering: 1888-1918 H. DUETTHE ROLAND GARROS.
Engraver: Hervé Duetthe.

Reverse: below coin centre face value: 10 F (FRANCS), in the background bird with spread wings facing left and a contour of French coast of Atlantic; above year of issue 1988; along the bottom edge: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (French Republic).
Lettering: 1988 10F RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE.
Engraver: Hervé Duetthe.

Edge: plain with concave inscription: LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ (motto of France - liberty, equality, fraternity) divided by olive branch, laurel branch and cereal ear.
Lettering: LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE.

Metal: Aluminium-bronze.
Weight: 10 g.
Diameter: 26 mm.
Thickness: 2.5 mm.
Shape: Round.

Designer: Atelier de gravure (group of designers of the Paris Mint - rosette over letter "O" in ROLAND in the reverse) based on design of Harvé Duetthe (signature H.DUETTHE over the rosette in the reverse).
Mint: Paris Mint mark La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year of issue 1988 in the obverse, after year of issue privy mark of mint's director Émile Rousseau - dolphin).
Mintage: 29964011 + 9 000 in annual boxed sets.



Roland Garros
Eugène Adrien Roland Georges Garros (6 October 1888 – 5 October 1918) was an early French aviator and a fighter pilot during World War I.

  Eugène Adrien Roland Georges Garros was born in Saint-Denis, Réunion, and studied at the Lycée Janson de Sailly and HEC Paris. He started his aviation career in 1909 flying a Demoiselle (Dragonfly) monoplane, an aircraft that only flew well with a small lightweight pilot. He gained Ae.C.F. licence no. 147 in July 1910. In 1911 Garros graduated to flying Blériot monoplanes and entered a number of European air races with this type of machine, including the 1911 Paris to Madrid air race and the Circuit of Europe (Paris-London-Paris), in which he came second. In September he established a new world altitude record of 5,610 m (18,410 ft) By 1913 he had switched to flying the faster Morane-Saulnier monoplanes, and gained fame for making the first non-stop flight across the Mediterranean Sea from Fréjus in the south of France to Bizerte in Tunisia. The following year, Garros joined the French army at the outbreak of World War I.

First air battle
According to an August 3, 1914 wire story, Garros drove his airplane into a German Zeppelin dirigible above the German frontier destroying the aircraft and killing both pilots in what was considered to be the first air battle in world history.
Development of interrupter gear
In the early stages of the air war in World War I the problem of mounting a forward-firing machine gun on combat aircraft was considered by a number of individuals. The so-called "interrupter gear" did not come into use until Anthony Fokker developed a synchronization device which had a large impact on air combat; however, Garros also had a significant role in the process of achieving this goal.
  As a reconnaissance pilot with the Escadrille MS26, Garros visited the Morane-Saulnier Works in December 1914. Saulnier's work on metal deflector wedges attached to propeller blades was taken forward by Garros; he eventually had a workable installation fitted to his Morane-Saulnier Type L aircraft. Garros achieved the first ever shooting-down of an aircraft by a fighter firing through a tractor propeller, on 1 April 1915; two more victories over German aircraft were achieved on 15 and 18 April 1915.
  On 18 April 1915, either Garros's fuel line clogged or, by other accounts, his aircraft was downed by ground fire, and he glided to a landing on the German side of the lines. Garros failed to destroy his aircraft completely before being taken prisoner: most significantly, the gun and armoured propeller remained intact. Legend has it that after examining the plane, German aircraft engineers, led by Fokker, designed the improved interrupter gear system. In fact the work on Fokker's system had been going for at least six months before Garros's aircraft fell into their hands. With the advent of the interrupter gear the tables were turned on the Allies, with Fokker's planes shooting down many Allied aircraft, leading to what became known as the Fokker Scourge.
After internment in a POW camp
Garros finally managed to escape from a POW camp in Germany on 14 February 1918, after several attempts, and rejoined the French army. He settled into Escadrille 26 to pilot a Spad, and claimed two victories on 2 October 1918, one of which was confirmed. On 5 October 1918, he was shot down and killed near Vouziers, Ardennes, a month before the end of the war and one day before his 30th birthday. His adversary was probably German ace Hermann Habich from Jasta 49.
  Garros is erroneously called the world's first fighter ace. In fact, he shot down only four aircraft; the definition of "ace" is five or more victories. The honour of becoming the first ace went to another French airman, Adolphe Pégoud.
Places named after Roland Garros
A tennis centre, which he attended religiously when he was studying in Paris, was named after him in the 1920s, the Stade de Roland Garros. The stadium accommodates the French Open, one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. Consequently, the tournament is officially called Les internationaux de France de Roland-Garros (the "French Internationals of Roland Garros").
  The international airport of La Réunion, Roland Garros Airport, is also named after him. The place where he landed in Bizerte is actually called place of Roland Garros.
  The French car manufacturer Peugeot commissioned a 'Roland Garros' limited edition version of its 205 model in celebration of the tennis tournament that bears his name. The model included special paint and leather interior. Because of the success of this special edition, Peugeot later created Roland Garros editions of its 106, 206, 207, 208, 306, 406, and 806 models.
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