France 10 Francs Gold Coin 1895 Ceres A (Paris)
10 Franc Piece of the Republic, from 1870
Obverse: Superbly detailed portrait of the Roman Goddess Ceres a star above it, Fasces to left, and olive branch to the right, within the legend "Republique Francaise". Below the portrait the coin displays the name of Oudine. Ceres is the Goddess of abundance and agriculture as per Roman mythology. Ceres was beloved for her service to mankind in giving them the gift of the harvest, the reward for cultivation of the soil.
Lettering: REPUBLIQUE * FRANÇAISE.
Engraver: Louis Merley.
Reverse: The face value "10 FRANCS," at centre, between an olive branch (on the left) and an oak branch (on the right) linked at their base by a ribbon.
Lettering: LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE 10 FRANCS A 1895.
Engraver: Louis Merley.
Edge: Reeded.
Years: 1878-1899.
Value: 10 Francs.
Metal: Gold (.900).
Weight: 3.2258 g.
Diameter: 19 mm.
Shape: Round.
French Coins: The Ceres Family
The head of Ceres with "Concord" head band. Designed by Eugene Andre Oudine (1810-1889) who worked for the Paris Mint.The Cérès, as the name suggests, displays the head of Ceres on its obverse, the Roman Goddess of agriculture, harvests and fertility and a symbol of the Republic. She is represented from her right profile, wearing an earring, a pearl necklace and a braided chignon in her hair attached with a ribbon and in which seeds, acorns and oak leaves are placed. This face is framed by fasces lictoriae featuring the hand of Justice on the left, behind the nape of the neck, and a laurel branch on the right, under the chin. A 6-sided star is above her head. The title is “Republique Française” (French Republic).
Gold 5 Francs Ceres Gold 10 Francs Ceres Gold 20 Francs Ceres
The 5 Franc Cérès: an extremely rare type!
The numismatists who have the immense privilege of coming across a 5 Franc Cérès can die happy: they hold in their hands one of, if not the rarest gold coins in the world! Unobtainable in B, TB or TTB condition, it can be found in SUP, SPL or FDC. There exist only 30 specimens in all for the year 1878 and 40 for the year 1889.
The reason for this extreme scarcity? A coin which was destroyed as it contravened the Latin Union convention – a convention dating from 1865 aimed at unifying the currencies of France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and later Greece in 1868 – which prescribed that, among other things, 5 Franc coins be made of silver and not gold! Indeed, at that time, as astonishing as it may seem, the “gold of the poor” took precedence over gold before being heavily devalued in 1871.
The 10 Franc Cérès: a little gem for numismatists
With just over 3.7 million specimens minted, the 10 Franc Cérès is a little less rare than the 5 Franc Cérès. Since one can easily find it in B, TB and with more difficulty in TTB condition, anyone who finds it in SUP or SPL condition should be pleased. As for the FDC, it is unobtainable for the 10 Franc Cérès of 1850. To give you an idea: the 1850 10 Franc B sells for approximately 70 €, whereas the fleur de coin can reach €3,000.
The 20 Franc Cérès: quintessence of the IInd Republic
More than 17 million 20 Franc coins were struck between 1949 and 1951. The quality of strike is quite exceptional. On the other hand, this coin is difficult to authenticate. It is the condition of its preservation that dictates its authentification. One must concentrate on the last leaf on the right of the crown and the cheek of the face to differentiate the SPL from the FDC. Like all gold coins from this period which were in circulation, this series has three different surfaces between the obverse and the reverse: glossy, matt and cameo.
The Cérès: collector’s item or great investment?
Both! The 5 Franc Cérès, in spite of its extreme rarity which classes it amongst the great coins of true numismatics, as in the case of the 10 Franc, can nevertheless be a good object for investment for those who have the means and the immense privilege of being able to purchase it! Indeed, like a work of art, it maintains a quite stable price, hence protected from fluctuations in the market price of gold.
As for the 20 Franc Cérès in particular, like the Napoleon III or the 20 Franc Marianne Coq, it is an ideal gold coin for investing in physical gold.