Problem Free, Huh? (1871A French 2 Francs)

Wow some people really can be blind to alterations - shame though, if it wasn't for that would be a decent piece.

Oh yeah, thq, I love the graffiti'd centimes of Napoleon III. I've got a couple nice ones in the ol' col.

They are very collectible, as such. But that's precisely the problem here. If a seller is going to sell a graffiti'd coin, however, sell it AS a graffiti'd coin; don't sell it as "Problem Free XF".
At least acknowledge that it's been engraved with a date at 12 o'clock, and give their best understanding of what it is.

And there I should add one small detail: Paris didn't fall to the Prussians, Napoleon III fell to the Prussians at the Battle of Sedan. Jan. 28 '71 is the date of the signing of the Franco-Prussian Armistice.
Paris would-- quite tragically-- fall to the French later in the year (Cf. "Commune").

Still, I'm not sure the symbolism of marking the fall of a previous regime on the coinage of the 3rd Republic works as well-- the new government had just barely been formed shortly before the Armistice. The sarcasm works so much better when applied to the person of Napoleon III!

-SCS

I consider this a "problem-free" coin. The problem is a seller who doesn't know it's value as a historic piece. It could be worth more for the graffiti than the condition to the right collector. But it belongs on french ebay to get that price.

As far as the fall of Paris goes, January 28 1871 is before the Commune, and marks the end of the German (er, Prussian) siege of Paris (2 days after the armistice). Another black day in French history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Paris

I'm glad to hear that someone else is piling up the French oddball coins, too. I'm fond of the overstruck and reengraved 2 decimes. And the degree to which French coins were counterfeited.....I recently picked up a seriously underweight Napoleon plated copper demi franc for $4. Like this guy on ebay with the 1871, another dealer who didn't know what he had.

Nice counter stamp.