Monaco, 2 francs, 1979: scalloped, with 55 notches

[<k>]

Monaco, 2 francs, 1979.

According to Numista, this was a standard circulation coin.

Numista describes it as scalloped, with 55 notches.

FIFTY-FIVE!

Such an extremist gimmick. 


I have long felt that Monaco does not deserve to be a sovereign country.

After this issuing this piece, it should have been expelled from the United Nations. 

[FosseWay]

The coin you've illustrated has ESSAI on it, so presumably not a circulation strike. But yes, there are circulation coins with the same general design.

I imagine that the Monaco piece has the same edge characteristics as the French 2 franc coin, as the two nations' issues were supposed to be interchangeable. But I have to admit I don't know this for sure, as I haven't counted the notches on either, and I have some very important wet paint to watch first .

The Numista entry for the French coin describes it as "milled (widely spaced)". In my records I describe both as "coarsely milled". It is an interesting terminological question: at what number of edge indentations do they stop being "scallops" or "notches" and start just being reeding or milling?

[<k>]

The coin you've illustrated has ESSAI on it, so presumably not a circulation strike.

I saw it had ESSAI on it, but we both know that the Paris Mint added ESSAI to a variety of circulation designs, so that there was another money-earning type to collect.

The Numista entry for the French coin describes it as "milled (widely spaced)". In my records I describe both as "coarsely milled". It is an interesting terminological question: at what number of edge indentations do they stop being "scallops" or "notches" and start just being reeding or milling?

Indeed. Perhaps it should be described a cheat piece. Another reason to expel Monaco from the UN.