French Gold Coins 1 Franc 1988 Charles de Gaulle
Commemorative issue: 30th Anniversary of the Fifth Republic
Obverse: in the coin centre head of Charles de Gaulle facing right; along the top edge: CHARLES DE GAULLE; along the bottom edge: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (French Republic); between the inscriptions Crosses of Lorraine.
Lettering: CHARLES DE GAULLE REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE.
Engraver: E. Rousseau.
Reverse: in the coin centre face value: 1 F. (FRANC) inside six hexagons; along the top edge motto of France: LIBERTÉ • ÉGALITÉ • FRATERNITÉ (liberty, equality, fraternity); along the bottom edge dates: 1958 • 1988.
Lettering: LIBERTE EGALITE FRATERNITE 1 F 1958.1988.
Engraver: E. Rousseau.
Designer: Émile Rousseau (initials ER in the obverse below de Gaulle's head)
Mint: Paris Mint mark La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year 1958 in the reverse, after year 1988 privy mark of designer and mint director Emile Rousseau - dolphin)
Edge: Smooth.
Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.920.
Weight: 9 g.
AGW: 0.2662 oz.
Diameter: 24 mm.
French commemorative coin with denomination of 1 franc from 1988 commemorates the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the French Fifth Republic. On October 5, 1958 owing to de Gaulle the new constitution gave some real executive power to the president. Also the rules of his election were changed. In post-war France (The Fourth Republic), the president was elected by the electoral college and thus he was rather a political puppet than a co-ruler. In 1962, de Gaulle also convinced the French to change the election system for the head of state. In a national referendum, the French supported the changes. Henceforth, the president was to be elected directly. In this way not only he gained the common legitimacy, but also the highest power in comparison to European presidents.
In the coin reverse there is a hexagon (in French l'Hexagone), which is among the French a nickname for their country. Indeed the shape of the Metropolitan France reminds this geometric figure.
The Paris Mint (La Monnaie de Paris) dating back to the 6th century is the oldest French institution, and some would say - oldest institution in the world. The mint office is located in the center of Paris in a complex called Hotel des Monnaies, which was opened on December 20, 1775. A cornucopia is the symbol placed on any coin minted by the Paris Mint from January 1, 1880. The second character visible on coins was a symbol of the general engraver (Graveur general). The tradition of this job dates back to 1547 when Henry II of Valois appointed a general engraver as the only person authorized to create the king's portrait. Only the design prepared by the general engraver could have been copied to the coins stamps in national mints. Starting from 2001, the heads of engravers workshop in the Paris Mint do not hold this traditional title anymore, but their privy marks still appear on French coins next to the mint mark.
The name of the French mint - La Monnaie de Paris - suggests that the plant producing coins is located in the French capital. This is however, only the company name and factories were placed in various French cities. At the moment, the only place producing coins of France (and of some other countries) is Pessac near Bordeaux.