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The French Republic, largest of the West European nations,
has an area of 210,026 sq. mi. (547,030 sq. km.) and a population
of 58.1 million. Capital: Paris. Agriculture, manufacturing, tourist
industry and financial services are the most important elements of
France's diversified economy. Textiles and clothing, steel products,
machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
nuclear electricity, agricultural products and wine are exported.
The monarchy was ousted by the Revolution of 1848 and the
Second Republic proclaimed. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte
(nephew of Napoleon I) was elected president of the Second
Republic. He was proclaimed emperor in 1852. As Napoleon III,
he gave France two decades of prosperity under a stable, autocratic
regime, but led it to defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of
1870, after which the Third Republic was established.
The Third Republic endured until 1940 and the capitulation
of France to the swiftly maneuvering German forces. Marshal
Philippe Petain formed a puppet government that sued for peace
and ruled unoccupied France until 1942 from Vichy. Meanwhile,
General Charles de Gaulle escaped to London where he formed
a wartime government in exile and the Free French army. De
Gaulle's provisional exile government was officially recognized
by the Allies after the liberation of Paris in 1944, and De Gaulle,
who had been serving as head of the provisional government,
tacitly maintained that position. In October 1945, the people overwhelmingly
rejected a return to the prewar government, thus paving
the way for the formation of the Fourth Republic in 1947 just
after the dismissal of De Gaulle, at grips with a coalition of rival
parties, the Communists especially.
In actual operation, the Fourth Republic was remarkably like
the Third, with the National Assembly the focus of power causing
a constant governmental instability. The later years of the Fourth
Republic were marked by a burst of industrial expansion
unmatched in modern French history. The growth rate, however,
was marred by a two colonial wars, nagging inflationary trend that
weakened the franc and undermined the betterment of the people's
buying power. This and the Algerian conflict led to the recall
of De Gaulle to power, the adoption of a new constitution vesting
strong powers in the executive, and the establishment in 1959 of
the current Fifth Republic.
RULERS
Third Republic, 1871-1940
Vichy State, 1940-1944
De Gaulle's Provisional Govt.,
1944-1946
Fourth Republic, 1947-1958
Fifth Republic, 1959—
MINT MARKS AND PRIVY MARKS
In addition to the date and mint mark which are customary
on western civilization coinage, most coins manufactured by the
French Mints contain two or three small ‘Marks or Differents’ as
the French call them. These privy marks represent the men
responsible for the dies which struck the coins. One privy mark
is sometimes for the Engraver General (since 1880 the title is
Chief Engraver). The other privy mark is the signature of the Mint
Director of each mint; another one is the different' of the local
engraver. Three other marks appeared at the end of Louis XIV's
reign: one for the Director General of Mints, one for the General
Engineer of Mechanical edge-marking, one identifying over
struck coins in 1690-1705 and in 1715-1723. Equally amazing
and unique is that sometimes the local assayer's or Judge-custody's
‘different’ or ‘secret pellet’ appears. Since 1880 this privy
mark has represented the office rather than the personage of
both the Administration of Coins & Medals and the Mint Director,
and a standard privy mark has been used (cornucopia).
For most dates these privy marks are important though
minor features for advanced collectors or local researchers. During
some issue dates, however, the marks changed. To be even
more accurate sometimes the marks changed when the date
didn't, even though it should have. These coins can be attributed
to the proper mintage report only by considering the privy marks.
Previous references (before G. Sobin and F. Droulers) have by
and large ignored these privy marks. It is entirely possible that
unattributed varieties may exist for any privy mark transition. All
transition years which may have two or three varieties or combinations
of privy marks have the known attribution indicated after
the date (if it has been confirmed).

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