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20 Francs - Rainier III
| Issuer | Monaco |
|---|---|
| Year | 1992-1997 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Francs (20 MCF) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features a detailed frontal view of the Prince's Palace of Monaco rendered in fine relief within the copper-nickel middle ring, with a small copper-aluminium core plug at centre. A princely crown appears at top centre of the outer ring. The legend PALAIS PRINCIER arcs along the upper outer ring and DEO JUVANTE along the lower outer ring, both in Latin, referencing the Monegasque motto 'With God's Help'. The engraver's signature R.B. BARON appears in the lower field of the middle ring. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | PALAIS PRINCIER DEO JUVANTE R.B.BARON (Translation: Prince's Palace With God's Help) |
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| Additional information |
Monaco's trimetallic 20 franc coin arrived as part of a broader European experiment with multi-alloy coinage in the early 1990s, driven largely by vending machine manufacturers lobbying for coins with distinct electromagnetic signatures that couldn't be spoofed by slugs. The specification — three discrete alloy bands — was engineered to defeat counterfeiting through conductivity layering rather than precious metal content. France adopted similar trimetallic construction for its own 20 franc pieces in the same period, and Monaco, whose monetary union with France obligated close alignment, followed suit. The series ran only until the franc's effective obsolescence ahead of euro adoption.