Catalog
20 francs - Albert Ier essai or
| Issuer | Monaco |
|---|---|
| Year | 1892 |
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| Composition | Gold (.900) |
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| Reverse description | The crowned coat of arms of the Principality of Monaco occupies the central field, displaying the heraldic lozengy pattern of the Grimaldi dynasty in fusilly bendy argent and gules. The shield is flanked by a laurel branch to the left and an olive branch to the right, both tied at the base. The motto DEO JUVANTE arcs along the upper periphery, while the denomination VINGT FRANCS is inscribed along the lower border. The date 18 92 is divided on either side of the shield within the field, and the entire design is framed by a beaded border. |
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| Mintage | 1892 A - unknown mintage |
| Additional information |
This is an essai — a trial strike — produced in 1892 for a denomination that Monaco never officially circulated. Albert I had assumed the throne in 1889 following the death of Charles III, and the early years of his reign saw multiple proposed coinage designs submitted and struck for evaluation, most of which went no further. The Gadoury reference confirms this piece, but surviving examples are exceedingly rare precisely because essais of this type were struck in very limited numbers for official review, not distribution.