ObverseImage: Wikimedia Commons · D.j.mueller 19:51, 8 June 2007 (UTC) · Public domain
50 Francs Gold
France
1878–1896
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$2,238.30
Based on Gold spot price ($4,795.98/oz) · 90.0% purity · 16.129g
Updated 6:41 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | France |
| Years Minted | 1878–1896 |
| Composition | 90% gold, 10% copper |
| Weight | 16.129 g |
| Diameter | 28 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
The obverse features the head of Marianne facing left, with the inscription 'LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ' and 'RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE'.
Reverse
The reverse depicts the denomination '50 FRANCS' within a wreath, with the year at the bottom.
History & Notable Facts
The 50 Francs gold coin, first struck in 1878, contained precisely 16.129 grams of 0.900 fine gold, a standard set to align with the Latin Monetary Union’s efforts at cross-border trade.
That made it a practical tool for merchants from Paris to Rome, even if its design—a laureled head on one side and the Republic's arms on the other—lacked the flair of earlier French issues. Mintage figures fluctuate; we know production peaked around 1880, but exact numbers for 1896 were likely lost in routine mint record purges.
As someone who's turned these over in my hands for thirty years, they're remarkably durable for daily use coins. If you hunt for one, remember that not every gold piece tells a grand tale.
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