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500 francs - Louis II essai or
| Issuer | Principality of Monaco |
|---|---|
| Year | 1934 |
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| Composition | Gold |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed left-facing bust of Prince Louis II of Monaco occupies the central field, modelled in high relief with fine portrait detail. The engraver's signature L. MAUBERT appears in small characters beneath the truncation. A beaded border frames the entire design. The circular legend reads LOUIS II PRINCE DE MONACO, distributed around the upper and lower periphery. |
|---|---|
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| Mint | Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France |
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| Additional information |
Louis II came to the Monégasque throne in 1922 after decades of estrangement from his father Albert I, having spent much of his early life as a French military officer rather than a prince-in-waiting. This 1934 essai — a pattern struck for official approval rather than circulation — was produced as Monaco explored a new gold coinage befitting the principality's independent monetary status under a Franco-Monégasque currency agreement. Essais of this type were struck in extremely limited numbers, distributed primarily to government officials and a handful of collectors; most examples have remained in essentially unimpaired condition for exactly that reason.