100 Francs Silver

The 1989 issue of France's 100 Francs silver coin depicts the storming of the Bastille with a level of detail that still raises eyebrows among purists for its romanticized flair.

Struck at the Paris Mint from 1988 to 2001, these coins used .900 fine silver planchets weighing 22.2 grams each. Designs changed annually to mark events like anniversaries or cultural milestones, from the Revolution to European unity. I've handled hundreds over the years, and let me tell you, the edge lettering alone—bearing "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité"—is a masterclass in micro-engraving.

Mintage figures for specific years are spotty; official records from the Monnaie de Paris aren't always complete. What we know is that production ramped up in the late 1990s as the euro loomed, turning these into something like silver souvenirs of a fading currency.