1941-10 Centimes KM #898.1-France - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 8,090
Steve New Member United States 48 Posts	Posted 01/16/2008 04:09 am Hi! I was just wondering, I have a 1941-10 Centimes KM #898.1-France and according to my world coin book it is made of zinc. This coin almost is black in color, like maybe it was in a fire or something. Is this the color of a zinc coin after so many years or has something caused it to be this color? Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!! Report this Post to the Staff

Sap Moderator Australia 16838 Posts	Posted 01/16/2008 06:09 am Yep, zinc coins look shiny enough when they're first struck, but they turn black once they've been in circulation for awhile. Unless, of course, they turn white and chalky instead. Yours actually looks much better than normal! Zinc is a terrible metal to use for coinage. But the Nazi war machine required all the copper and nickel, and the public were hoarding the silver. So only the cheap, unwanted metals like zinc and aluminium were left to make coins out of. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
Silver Gorilla Valued Member 286 Posts	Posted 01/16/2008 8:11 pm Question for french coin collector's if any, I would like to know if there is any 1 France, 2 France or 50 Centimes that are rare and have good value that we should know of. Something specific like what metals the coins should be or shouldn't be, or just types of metals of french coinage. Report this Post to the Staff
Steve New Member United States 48 Posts	Posted 01/17/2008 02:52 am Thanks Sap! That clears up my question. I was thinking the zinc might be oxidized like that, just wasn't sure. Have a great day! Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16838 Posts	Posted 01/17/2008 03:07 am All coins pre-1921 are silver. Be aware that during WWII, there were two halves of France: the Free French (using the same designs as pre-war France), and the Axis-aligned Vichy state. The easiest way to tell them apart is the motto: Free France used the traditional "Liberte Egalite Fraternite", while Vichy used "Travail Familie Patrie". Dates to look for: 50 centimes:. Of the silver ones, 1905, 1903 and 1911 are the scarcest. The 1947 is the scarcest of the early aluminium-bronze types. There's also the 1962 "4 folds in collar" variety is also pricey. 1 franc: 1914C, 1903, 1906 and 1907 are the scarcest silvers. In al-bronze, 1920 and 1935 are dates to watch for. In aluminium, the Free French 1943 is one of the great rarities of modern French coinage. On the Vichy side, the zinc 1943 is also quite scarce. 2 francs: Anything pre-1914 is worth looking out for. Al-bronze: 1920, 1926, 1927, 1931 and 1935 are the dates to watch for. In aluminium, the Free French 1944B appears to be scarce - no value is recorded in Krause, and the mintage is quite low. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
Silver Gorilla Valued Member 286 Posts	Posted 01/17/2008 4:02 pm Thanks for the information, I will be on the look out for them. One other thing, if you can post a photo pleas, of the 1962 "4 folds in collar" variety for the 50 centimes. Also if possibly a photo of the 1 franc 1943 great rarities. Thanks Report this Post to the Staff
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