Coins of the Third French Republic

In the second month of the Franco-Prussian War, September 2, 1870 at the Battle of Sedan, the French Emperor Napoleon III was captured. The anti-monarchist revolutionary masses of France do not miss this opportunity and call for the overthrow of the Emperor and the establishment of Republican rule. Coins issued by France between 1870 and 1939, called the Third Republic, will be discussed in this review.

 

At first, I will still show several coins minted during the reign of the last French Emperor mentioned above. A selection of bronze coins from 1853. Napoleon III year, as proclaimed Emperor of France.

 

 

Coins were issued by the mints of Paris (A), Rouen (B), Strasbourg (BB), Lyon (D), Bordeaux (K), Lille (W) and Marseille (MA). The author of the portrait was the engraver and medalist Jean-Jacques Barre.

 

Coins of the second type, model 1861 with a laurel wreath on Napoleon's head, were issued only in Paris, Strasbourg and Bordeaux. Despite the fact that the signature of the engraver remained the same - "Barre" - the author of this portrait was the son of Jean-Jacques Barr - Désiré-Albert Barre, also an engraver and medalist of the Paris Mint, who replaced his father in this post after his death.

 

Silver denominations of both the first and second issues included coins in denominations of 20 and 50 centimes, as well as 1, 2 and 5 francs.

 

 

Now let's go directly to the coins of the Third French Republic. The first coins were issued in 1870. The monarch's profile on the coins is replaced by a female profile representing the ancient Roman fertility goddess Ceres. The legend on the reverse proclaims the national motto of the French Republic - Liberté, égalité, fraternité (Freedom, equality, brotherhood). The mint and coin materials remained the same, and this time only Paris and Bordeaux. The coin medallier is Eugène-André Oudiné (1810-1887). His stigma is "fascina" from below under par.

 

In 1870, the French Republic simultaneously issued three versions of 5 franc coins. The first two depict the same Ceres. The second type differs from the first in the presence of the motto "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" around the face value of the coin on the reverse (as with coins of smaller denomination).

 

 

The third type was developed by the famous French sculptor, engraver and medalist Augustin Dupré.

 

The reverse of the coin shows Hercules surrounded by two nymphs. On the shoulders of Hercules is the skin of the Nemean lion he killed, which symbolizes the defeated imperial power and the victory of the Revolution. The nymphs symbolize "Republic" (right) and "Justicia" (left). In the hand of "Justice" is a scepter called "The Rod of Justice," in the hand of "Republic" is one of the symbols of free masons "massons" - a construction triangle with a level.

 

In 1898, a line of coins was issued in an updated design without a mint mark. The coin was designed by engraver and medalist Jean-Baptiste-Daniel Dupuis, who was subsequently killed in a dream by his own wife, among other things, at the age of 50.

 

 

This time , Marianne appears on the coins of the French Republic - the collective image of a young French woman in a Phrygian cap, personifying the values ​ ​ of the French Revolution - Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood.

 

 

Marianne's profile first appeared on French coins during the First French Republic (1792-1804) and later during the Second French Republic (1848-1852). The author of the image is Augustin Dupre. 

 

On the reverse of coins in denominations of 5 and 10 centimes, a composition is presented, the author of which was also Jean-Baptist-Daniel Dupuis. On it, a woman, personifying the "Republic" with a banner in one hand and a laurel branch in the other, protects the baby, who, in turn, holds ears and a hammer in his hands.

 

 

The design of silver coins of the new line of 50 centimes, 1 and 2 francs was entrusted to the medalist Louis Oscar Roty.

 

 

When creating the image of the seedling depicted on all the older coins, the engraver used the services of the model Rosalind Peske.

It is worth noting that the "sowing woman" continued to remain on French coins: she was depicted on nickel coins in denominations of ½, 1, 2 and 5 francs from 1960 to 2001, and she is also depicted on coins currently in circulation in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 euro cents.

In 1903-1905, the medalist Henri Auguste Henri Jules Patey designed a new 25 centime denomination for France.

 

In addition to Marianne, traditionally found on coins of the French Republic on the obverse, the reverse of coins of 1904-1905 depicts a bunch of rods of Roman masters "fascina."

 

 

Minting of coins of this denomination continued in 1914 with the release of coins of a new design, developed by two medallists at once. The reverse design of the coin was developed by the same Auguste Henri Jules Patey, his personal stigma is a small torch to the right of the face value. The author of the obverse was the medalist Edmond Emile Lindauer (Edmond-Émile Lindauer, 1869-1942) - the stamp "EM.LINDAUER" below the edging of the coin under the monogram of the French Republic "R.F. " On coins there are mandatory attributes of the Republic - a Phrygian cap on the obverse and the motto on the reverse

 

 

In 1917, 5 and 10 centimes of copper-nickel alloy were also released in a similar design. It turns out that in the period from 1918 to 1920, copper-nickel coins of a new design with a hole were minted simultaneously, and old bronze of the previous type.

 

 

Starting from 1917 and 1937, 25 centimes began to be produced already on copper-nickel blanks instead of nickel, and 5 centimes, starting from 1920 to 1938 on blanks of a smaller diameter while maintaining the general style.

 

In 1938, 1939, the material of the blanks of coins of junior denominations for nickel-bronze alloy changed.

 

 

During the First World War, France stops issuing gold coins, replacing them with banknotes, and, thereby, violates the terms of the Latin Monetary Union, which it initiated in 1865. General economic instability led to the cessation of the production of coins of 50 centimes, 1 and 2 francs from silver and their release on billets made of aluminum-bronze alloy. Since the issue of such coins was not provided with gold, they were not issued on behalf of the state, but with the legend of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry "Chambres de Commerce de France." The place of Marianne was taken by Mercury - the god of Trade. The reverse design for the French Chamber of Commerce was invented by the French medalist Jose-Francois Domard (Joseph-François Domard , 1792-1858)

 

 

It should be noted that, like most German urban municipalities, a number of cities and departments of France during and after the end of the First World War mastered the issue of their temporary money.

 

In 1931, in the midst of the global economic crisis (the "Great Depression"), when most countries were forced to abandon gold support for their national currencies, France put into circulation senior denominations of a new type with a "state" legend. The coin designer, this time, was the medalist Pierre-Alexandre Morlon.

 

On 50 centime, 1 and 2 franc coins, Marianne reappears in a new image. In France, which is experiencing an economically difficult time, one cannot do without symbols of a wealthy and well-fed life. From here, a wreath of cereal ears is worn on the obverse of the coin over Marianne's Phrygian cap, and horns of plenty are present on the reverse on either side of the denomination. Coins were issued from aluminum-bronze alloy in the pre-war period, as well as after the war on aluminum blanks with the design preserved until 1947 (50 centimes) and until 1959 (1 and 2 francs). I also note that after the occupation of France by Germany in 1939, the Vichy regime of Marshal Pétain continued to issue coins in the old design until 1941, although it was no longer the Third Republic...

 

 

In two completely different designs, nickel coins of 5 francs were issued in 1933. The first type was produced only this year. On the obverse is Marianne, on the reverse is a fruit and cereal composition framing the face value. Medalist Lucien Georges Bazor.

 

 

The second five-franc coin was produced from 1933-1939 and had one and a half times the diameter of the first type coin. Her medalist was André-Marie Lavrillier. On the obverse is Marianne with a laurel wreath on her head.

 

 

Coins of 5 francs of the second type made of aluminum bronze, issued from 1938 to 1940, were in circulation in colonial French Algeria.

 

 

In the post-war period, from 1945 to 1950, the same design was used to issue coins on aluminum blanks. At the same time, for circulation in African colonies, coins of this type continued to be produced on aluminum bronze blanks until 1946.

 

 

It should be noted that the image of Marianne as a national symbol was also widely used in many other areas of activity of the Third Republic. For example, on tokens for use in public telephones.

 

 

Completing our review of the coins of the Third French Republic are two silver coins in denominations of 10 and 20 francs, issued from 1929 to 1939. The medalist who designed these coins was Pierre Turin.

 

 

On coins of this type, as well as on smaller denominations, Marianne is depicted in a laurel wreath over a Phrygian cap. This design was also used in the development of post-war coins of colonial Algeria.

 

The temporary money of France can be found here, the coins of the French colonies here, the coins of France during the German occupation in World War II are considered here.

 

After the end of World War II, the French Republic resumed minting coins in denominations of 50 centimes, 1 and 2 francs on aluminum billets, the first issue of which took place in 1941. Additionally, 10 centimes of reduced diameter and new 20 centimes were produced on zinc billets, 5 Lavriller francs on aluminum billets and 10 Turen francs, but already on copper-nickel billets.