Coin France 5 Centimes Lagriffoul - 1993 - Proof

Small in size but far more sought after than its standard version, the 1993 5 centimes Marianne in Proof quality (BE) represents one of the final testaments to French numismatic craftsmanship before the arrival of the euro.

Unlike coins intended for daily circulation, this piece has never circulated. It was specially struck by the Monnaie de Paris to be included in the prestigious 1993 Proof set, intended for collectors. This set gathered all French coins of the vintage in a superior manufacturing quality, characterized by a mirror-like background and particularly neat matte reliefs.

The Marianne type, created in 1962 as part of the new franc reform, remains one of the great classics of modern French coinage.

The obverse features the profile of Marianne wearing the Phrygian cap, the work of sculptor Henri Lagriffoul, an emblematic republican symbol.

On the reverse, signed by Adrien Dieudonné, the face value is surrounded by a plant sprig accompanied by the motto:

« Liberté ? Égalité ? Fraternité »

A sober and elegant engraving that accompanied generations of French people until the final years of the franc.