Coin Pièce French Mint 50 euro Silver 2012 A Paris

Remarks:

Avec étui, intérieur abîmé et certificat d'authenticité

This 50 euro silver coin was issued in 2012 by the Monnaie de Paris (mint mark A) as part of the series « Les grands navires français » (Great French Ships), dedicated here to L'Hermione. The mintage is limited to 500 examples, making it a particularly scarce issue.

L'Hermione was an 18th-century French frigate, famous for having carried Lafayette to America in 1780 to bring support to the American insurgents during the War of Independence. A faithful replica of this vessel was reconstructed in Rochefort from 1997 onwards, a project that greatly contributed to the renewed interest in this historic ship.

The coin is struck in silver with a fineness of 950‰ and has a weight of 163.8 grams, corresponding to 5 ounces of fine silver. Its diameter is 50 millimetres. It is offered in Belle Épreuve (BE) quality, denoting a carefully struck collector coin characterised by sharp reliefs and mirrored fields.

The face value is 50 euros, issued under the authority of the French Republic. The obverse features the usual attributes of modern French coins, while the reverse is dedicated to the depiction of L'Hermione, a three-masted sailing vessel characteristic of 18th-century wartime frigates.

It should be noted that the interior of the presentation case is damaged, which constitutes an important reservation regarding the condition of the original packaging, even though this does not necessarily reflect the condition of the coin itself.