(sold for $358.0)

2000, France (5th Republic). "The Sower/Last Franc" Gold 1 Franc Coin. (8gm!) NGC MS-67!

Mint year: 2000 Mint Place: Paris (A) Mintage: 5,000 pcs. References: KM-925.1a.. Denomination: 1 Franc "The Sower", issued as a commemorative and struck in gold, being the last gold franc minted (although another gold issue was struck during 2001 due to the popularity of this one!) Condition: A beatiful lustre uncirculated coin with minor toning spots! Material: Gold (.750) - 0.1929 Oz of pure gold! Diameter: 23mm Weight: 8gm

Obverse: Female togate personification of the French Republic (Francia) left, sowing seed. Sun rising in backround. Designer´s signature (O.Roty) below. Legend: REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE . Reverse: Denomination (1 FRANC) above olive-wreath and date (2000), flanked by privy marks of the Paris mint. Legend: LIBERTE . EGALITE . FRATERNITE

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The Sower is a very familiar figure to the French: she was featured on the fifty centimes coin and on the one, two and five franc pieces until 2001, before appearing in a stylised version on the ten, twenty and fifty centime coins of the euro. She originally dates back to 1887. This was the year when Roty designed a prize medal commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, but the project was not followed through. In 1896, when the Minister of Finance commissioned some new coins, Roty was one of the artists selected. He went back to the Sower of 1887 but transformed his robust peasant into a slim Marianne, wearing the Phrygian cap of Liberty. The traditional profile of the Republic was abandoned in favour of a more active, standing figure.

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