Found between potatoes

[Arminius]

My last find while digging for potatoes in 2009:



France, Paris mint, 1943 AD., Vichy French State issue, engraver: L. Bazor,
1 Franc Aluminium (23 mm / 1,37 g),
Obv.: ETAT FRANCAIS / LB -monogram in right field , a 2 sided Battle Axe, flanked by wheat stalks.
Rev.: • TRAVAIL • FAMILIE • / • PATRIE • / 1 / • FRANC • / 1943 , oak leaves and acorns flanking the denomination.
KM 902.1 .
Mintage: 205,564,000

The garden gets household compost since 60 years. So a lot of dirt from the house containing some small change will meet the potatoes.

[E.M.U.]

We were just talking about Vichy France in this thread:

http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,6087.0.html


Your profile says you live in Germany, Arminius. What is your theory on how this old French coin got into your garden?

[Arminius]

These coins are very abundant even today. You will find them in almost every worldcoins junkbox here.

But estimated from the minimum wear but deep visible corrosion pits this piece had not been long in circulation but been in the soil for some decades. So i think i was lost here 1943-46.

My father in law (age 88) told me - as he can remember - this place i found it had been allways been a gardening area.
I don´t know the people who owned my garden during world war II. But many families had male members based in France during the war then.
Maybe the American troops brought it from France into our area in 1945. But they probably did not contribute much to the gardens.

Another - but less probable possibility - would be a French prisoner of war who brought it. Many of them were working in local farming here then.
But i think they had no chance and it was rather useless for them to keep their small change.

[engipress]

This is for the first time I have seen Wheat and Oak leaves growing with Potatoes.

Abhay

[bart]

This is for the first time I have seen Wheat and Oak leaves growing with Potatoes.

Abhay

Indeed, and a double ax to harvest them. Don't cut off your feet in harvesting your potatoes!

Bart

[Arminius]

The most abundant coin between my potatoes is the Nazi-Germany zinc Pfennig of those days with the swastika. Think i found 3-5 meanwhile.

Usually they are identifiable but ugly corroded - so i just didn´t take a picture of these relicts of our dark ages so far.