This piece was struck as a pattern ("Projet") in advance of the commemorative program marking the 1989 bicentennial of the French Revolution — Monnaie de Paris began exploratory design and production trials as early as 1985, four years before the anniversary itself. The bicentennial ultimately became one of the most elaborately coordinated commemorative coin programs in French mint history, involving multiple denominations and international partnerships.
Pattern issues of this type rarely entered broad circulation among collectors at the time of striking, making survivors genuinely scarce outside institutional holdings.
This piece was struck as a pattern ("Projet") in advance of the commemorative program marking the 1989 bicentennial of the French Revolution — Monnaie de Paris began exploratory design and production trials as early as 1985, four years before the anniversary itself. The bicentennial ultimately became one of the most elaborately coordinated commemorative coin programs in French mint history, involving multiple denominations and international partnerships.
Pattern issues of this type rarely entered broad circulation among collectors at the time of striking, making survivors genuinely scarce outside institutional holdings.