Catalog
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| Issuer | Monnaie de Paris |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 20 g |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features the dual denomination '500' in large numerals at center, with '75 euro' inscribed beneath in smaller lettering and 'FRANCS' below that, all surrounded by a ring of twelve five-pointed stars symbolizing the European Union. The legend 'REPUBLIQUE' arcs along the upper rim and 'FRANCAISE' along the lower rim, both in incuse relief against the polished field. The overall design is typographic in character, emphasizing the transitional dual French franc and euro valuation. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
This piece belongs to a Franco-Belgian commemorative program jointly issued by the Monnaie de Paris and the Banque Nationale de Belgique in the mid-1990s, with parallel versions struck in gold and platinum carrying both franc and euro face values — an early institutional acknowledgment of the approaching currency union before the euro had legal tender status anywhere. The dual denomination was a deliberate political signal, not a minting convention.
The platinum version was struck in very small numbers relative to its gold counterpart, making it considerably scarcer in the secondary market.