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1 Franc - Rainier III Essai
| Issuer | Monnaie de Paris |
|---|---|
| Year | 1960 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Franc (1 MCF) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The Monegasque coat of arms dominates the central field, depicting a shield of lozenges (fusils) in the traditional red and white livery of the Grimaldi family, surmounted by a large princely crown. The word ESSAI appears to the left of the denomination numeral 1, with FR to its right, together forming the denomination 1 FR. The motto DEO JUVANTE arcs along the upper legend, separated by a small ornamental cross at the apex. The overall composition is bold and heraldic in character, with sharp relief detail on the crown and shield elements. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
The 1960 essai program for Monaco was produced by the Monnaie de Paris as part of the standard French practice of striking trial pieces ahead of new coinage series — a bureaucratic formality that, in Monaco's case, generated some of the most collectible modern European pieces by sheer virtue of tiny production numbers. These were never intended for circulation and were distributed almost exclusively to officials, institutions, and a handful of privileged collectors.
Struck in gold rather than the cupronickel of the circulation issue, this piece exists in an entirely different tier from its everyday counterpart.