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France 2 francs 1944 - Provisional Government

France · 1944 · 2 francs
Circulating coinCommon
€1.26estimate
50,000,000coins minted
N1179 KM905 GADOURY537
RAReference number RARA-MEGR4
Circulating coin

2 francs “France” struck in the United States (1944)

The coin's story

This 2 francs coin in brass, 70% copper and 30% zinc, is an official emergency coin of the Provisional Government of the French Republic. It was not struck in France but in the United States, at the Philadelphia Mint, and it bears no mint letter. Its design is very simple: the word FRANCE within a laurel wreath on one side, the value 2 FR and the date on the other. It was struck in a single year, 1944, in 50,000,000 pieces. The coin ceased to be legal tender on 1 September 1949.

    ObverseThe Laurel Wreath

    FRANCE
    Design
    The word FRANCE within a wreath formed by two laurel branches tied with a ribbon.
    Legend
    FRANCE.

    ReverseThe Value

    LIBERTE-EGALITE-FRATERNITE 2FR · 1944 ·
    Design
    The value in large characters above the date.
    Motto
    LIBERTE-EGALITE-FRATERNITE (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).
    Denomination
    2 FR (2 francs).
    Date
    · 1944 ·.

    Specifications

    • Denomination2 francs
    • Year1944
    • Mintage50,000,000
    • MintMonnaie des États-Unis, Philadelphie
    • MaterialBrass (Cu 70% + Zn 30%)
    • ShapeRound
    • Diameter27 mm
    • Thickness1.9 mm
    • Weight8.1 g
    • EdgeThe edge is plain
    • ScriptsLatin

    Actual size

    2 francs 27 mm 2 € 25.75 mm 1 € 23.25 mm

    Actual size compared with the 2 € and 1 € coins. Thickness: 1.9 mm.

    Composition

    Copper70 % Zinc30 %

    Reference catalogues

    N1179Numista KM905Krause (Standard Catalog of World Coins) GADOURY537Gadoury

    Same country, same period at the scale of real diameters

    10 centimes1943 · 17.3 mm 10 centimes1945 · 17 mm 50 centimes1941 · 18 mm 50 centimes1942 · 18 mm 10 centimes1941 · 21 mm 10 centimes1941 · 21 mm 1 franc1942 · 23 mm 1 franc1948 · 23 mm

    France in the collection All 82 coins →

    18481992

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