French coins: The Cérès Family

The Cérès are among the most unusual of gold coins in light of their history. Though certain types are somewhat mundane, others are extremely rare and make the Cérès one of the most sought-after coins for numismatists.  Here is an introduction to these small coins which have all the markings of a great one!

Brief introduction to the coin

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).

On the reverse, which comprises the words “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” (Liberty, equality, fraternity), the value of the coin is displayed (5, 10 or 20 Francs), between an olive branch (on the left) and an oak branch (on the right) linked at their base by a ribbon.

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 II^nd 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 FDC, 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 TTB in particular, like the Napoleon III or the 20 Franc Marianne Coq, it is an ideal gold coin for investing in physical gold, its price being around €170.

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French coins: The Cérès Family was first posted on May 25, 2012 at 10:24 am.
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