1849A France 5 Francs

This is a very fortunate addition to your collection, especially at such a price! I am currently looking for an example of this particular coin which displays the "Hercules Group" on the obverse. The three figures are Liberty on the left, Justice on the right, and Hercules prominently center stage as their protector. The design echoes the French words "Liberty - Justice - Brotherhood." Not a particularly valuable or rare coin, but, oh my gosh, what a classic French design! I know I have read your post years after you originally posted, but you made a great purchase of a beautiful coin. You obviously know how to look beyond the low price, to see the true value and beauty of this gem. I'm envious. Jack

I was able to find one of these for myself this weekend on ebay. Paid only $16, and it's a very pretty coin. The artist was a fellow named Andre Dupre, and he was a very prominent artist of his day. As for rarely seeing "big sliver coins", like this one, you're right. There aren't many like this floating about these days. Both Mexico and Canada have big silver coins that are easy to find and quite beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Jack