French Coins 5 Francs 1973 Sower
Obverse: The Sower, designed by Oscar Roty in 1900: a national emblem of the French Republic
Lettering: REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE O. Roty
Engraver: Louis-Oscar Roty
Reverse: Olive branches, oak branches and sweat ears, Underneath the facial value, are surrounded with the French motto: "LIBERTE • EGALITE • FRATERNITE"
NOTE: different privy marks throughout mintages.
Torch 1896-1930 Henry Patey.
Wing 1931-Oct. 1958 Lucien Bazor.
Owl 1958-1974 Raymond Joly.
Dolphin 1974-1994 Rousseau.
Bee 1994- Pierre Rodier.
Lettering: LIBERTE • EGALITE • FRATERNITE 5 FRANCS 1973.
Translation: Liberty • Equality • Fraternity 5 Francs 1973.
Engraver: Louis-Oscar Roty.
Edge: Reeded.
Composition: Copper-nickel.
Weight: 10 g.
Diameter: 29 mm.
Thickness: 2.09 mm.
Shape: Round.
The Sower
Originally designed in 1898 by French engraver Louis Oscar Roty, 1846 to 1911. Roty was a prolific sculpture and engraver. His works can be found in most major European museums. His best known work is probably Semeuse, The Sower which has now appeared on various French coins for over a century, having first appeared on an 1898 5 francs essai, and then having transferred to the euro 20 cents.
She is shown wearing a Phrygian cap (Liberty Cap or Bonnet Phrygien), a soft, red, conical cap with the top pulled forward, originally worn in antiquity by the inhabitants of Phrygia, a region of central Anatolia. It was worn by freed Roman slaves, was adopted as a symbol of freedom or revolution during the French Revolution, and is now often used to represent freedom, or the search for liberty. It appear on US and other American coins, sometimes shown on a short pole.
Phrygian caps are also worn by Smurfs (Schtoumpfs)