January 19, 2017 – In 2016, the French coin guide book “Le Franc” celebrated its 20th anniversary. It is a key reference work for professionals and collectors of modern French coins. As the title indicates, it is dedicated to French coins from the French Revolution to the end of the Franc (1795-2001). “Le Franc” is a comprehensive numismatic book which combines a typology and prices guide as well as a research, analysis and study manual. This work is the fruit of 20 years of research, study and indexing by CGB’s team of professional numismatists under the supervision of Joël Cornu, CGB’s Chairman.
“Franc Poche” 2016. 592 pages featuring more than 1.000 ill. Softback. 10.5 x 15.5 cm. 14.90 EUR.
Almost 240,000 copies sold
Since its first edition, almost 240,000 copies of “Le Franc” have been sold. For its 20th anniversary, CGB has produced a new updated version that’s both handy and accessible to a broader audience, titled “Le Franc Poche”.
Designed for novice or intermediate collectors, or even for advanced numismatists needing a quick and handy reference, this new bilingual English-French pocket edition is an innovative approach to a coin price guide. Like in any price guide, you will find coin identification and pricing information in it, but that’s not all.
More than identification and price
“Le Franc Poche” is a comprehensive work which also includes detailed user instructions, a historical presentation of French coins, a complete review of general engravers’ privy marks and privy marks of French mint directors, an illustrated numismatic glossary as well as advices on how to collect modern French coins.
The identification and pricing section includes every monetary type listed for six grades. Detailed explanations for six grades and full color photographs of superb quality are provided with each type, as well as useful numismatics data such as diameter, weight, metal, fineness, edge and total mintage for each type.
Pricing information in Euros is also provided for six grades according to the Sheldon scale for each type, date and mint, including varieties. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, CGB has been a pioneer in using the numeric Sheldon Grading System for modern French coins. Likewise, the description of various grades for each type will assist you in developing and enriching your knowledge and fine-tuning your grading capacities. In the end, thanks to all the tools offered in “Le Franc Poche”, collectors will be able to identify, classify, grade and assess the coins in their collection on their own.
As with every new edition of “Le Franc”, the prices presented in “Le Franc Poche” have been completely revised and verified one by one. To accomplish this, CGB has used the 25,000 photographs assembled in the Ideal Collection database, the 21,000 results from the last Live Auctions organized by CGB, the results of the weekly CGB e-auctions and the price trends for the 150,000 coins available or sold in fixed-price catalogs or on our on-line e-shops. Of course, market observation as well as comments, verifications and remarks from editors and professionals specializing in the reference period have also been taken into account. The CGB team thus processes and analyzes 29,000 prices, one by one. Once they are set, those prices are cross-checked by a second team.
Modern Coin Issues
The coin reference book then concludes with the pricing of the Mint and Proof sets (Fleurs de Coins, Belle Épreuve and Brillant Universel) issued by the Monnaie de Paris from 1964 to 2001.
French Numismatics for an international Audience
The public concerned is international. The Internet revolution and the emergence of social networks have upended the traditional rules of the numismatic arena. French numismatics – so rich and diverse – is now open to the world. This new edition is thus completely bilingual in both French and English. Today, there is a wide and abundant range of information sources, but it is impossible to have an informed opinion about a coin without solid numismatic knowledge and experience. Before buying, collectors need to gather information, compare, read specialized publications, peruse fixed-price and auction catalogs, analyze quality and prices, surf the Internet or search through archives such as CGB’s. As a true gateway to the world of French numismatics, “Le Franc Poche” will help collectors from all over the world to grade and quote their French modern coins as close as possible to the market rate with no more language barriers.
The bilingual reference price guide “Le Franc Poche” is an invaluable aid for professionals and collectors who would like to build and enrich their modern French coin collection with knowledge and confidence.
For more information and for placing an order, please visit the website of CGB.
You will find a list of the most beautiful French coins known for each type and variety here.