French 20-franc gold rooster 1 1

[Henri Charriere]

On 3/27/2023 at 8:33 AM, J P M said:

Perhaps in the last 90 days a collector or two has passed and there roosters flew the coop.

I see two possibilities. One plausible; the other incredible.  In Plan A, collectors or hobbyists (or dealers who've grown weary of my plaintive cries for assistance to BOLO for exceptionally grade-scarce coins) cannibalize a TPG's holdings to facilitate cross-grading to another's. If that is unproductive, they resort to outright bribery. I am guilty of that crime.  Plan B entails convening a special blue-ribbon committee to  review and reconsider opinions previously rendered resulting in mass decertifications and a bumper crop of "new" coins sporting superseded grades. Cross-grading on the scale I have proposed resulting in dramatically disparate numbers are only possible if the written records reflect it.  I am going to defer to members RWB and z on this before someone influential questions my tenuous grip on reality.  You, gentle reader, are welcomed to chime in with your own theory as the mood moves you.

[GoldFinger1969]

On 3/27/2023 at 4:36 PM, Quintus Arrius said:

Buy low; sell high. No?  If not now, when?  If not here and now?  Where?

I thought the statement was implying that Roosters had been uniquely strong of late.  AFAIK, all gold coins have been strong as gold moved up to $2,000 last week.

When gold hits $3,000 an ounce that 5 Franc Rooster with about 0.2 ounces of gold will probably be $750-$1,000 in low-60's grade, no ?

Edited March 28, 2023 by GoldFinger1969

[Henri Charriere]

Consider this.  Whether it is called a wish or want list, the illustrious member Neophyte Numismatist has managed to start and finish a fairly phenomenal collection of Braided Half Cents--in half the time it's taken me to complete [my series] and still, two years later, the field lies fallow. He's Ranked 4 here but his compilations show he's an on-point contender and he's accomplished his feat in half the time it's taken me to accomplish mine, and although complete I am not done.

For those curious to know what's holding me back, haven't a clew. I do have a collection on NGC's Set Registry  which is Ranked #4.   We're talking largely international acquisitions here and they are not for the faint of heart  Presently, I am looking for three specimens, all grade scarce and virtually impossible to obtain.  Herewith the deceptively simple particulars:.

FRENCH 20-FRANC gold Roosters (le coq Marianne) PCGS MS-67 1910, 1913 and 1914.

IF YOU, DEAR READER, HAVE A POSSIBLE LEAD ON A REPUTABLE, PROMINENT SOURCE, BY ALL MEANS, DROP ME A LINE.  [Is there anything more, galling that knowing six (6)1910 Roosters have been certified by PCGS at the lofty grade MS-67... and I still cannot get my hands on one?] 

[Henri Charriere]

UPDATE - DATELINE: JULY 1, 2023

There are ten times as many set registrants here as opposed to the other major TPGS.  [I, of course, take full responsibility for the resurgence in interest in this series though I have not a scintella of objective or subjective evidence to support or substantiate my claim.]

No French 20-franc gold rooster has been certifiably graded Mint State-67, or higher, by any TPGS to my knowledge, for the years 1899 to 1906, commonly referred to as the "originals" as opposed to the "restrikes," or "redistributed" coins minted, in part, in 1921 as well as the 1950's and 1960's. 

The two gold rooster restrikes dated 1908 and 1912 and graded an unprecedented MS-68 by PCGS and quickly cross-graded successfully by NGC, continue to reside in the Twilight Zone. Discreet inquiries regarding same are met with blank stares and shrugged shoulders.

Although as a coin collector I detest the term, the "melt value" of this coin series in the time I have been a member, has approached, but never surpassed $400. (Their AGW is just under a fifth of a troy ounce.)

The common expression, "Once burnt, twice shy," is apt in describing the quandary faced by the average (non-fanatical) set registrants. In the face of stubborn unavailability, fed by stiff resistance to sell in a generally lackluster gold market, the seasoned collector can elect to wait, possibly interminably, or take a chance and acquire and submit a raw example. What I have learned in the years since I was overcome with the gold bug is all the major bullion dealers have numismatists on staff (many of whom have compiled superlative compilations) making the prospect of finding a gem in an already cherry-picked lot, slim if not impossible.

Advice to prospective roostermeisters:  do your due diligence before you commit yourself.  It's only a 16-coin series but a challenge to assemble. One Top Member had a good chuckle when I declared my intention to complete my set within 90 days. My perception of 100% complete does not jibe with most collectors -- or at least one other TPGS.  To me, if higher grades have been certified, and you don't have them, your compilation, at least for Set Registry purposes, is not complete.

 

[Henri Charriere]

France, 1870 To Date - an analysis...

It may be of interest to members, and itinerant curious lurkers, generally -- and the gentleman who three years ago derisively referred to my specific area of interest [G20F gold roosters] as "your precious niche" -- to learn that of the 77 different coin denominations currently listed in the NGC Census under the above-entitled banner heading, the lion's share of  7788 certified coins reside in the G20F line comprised of, among others, eleven different series of which the Gold Rooster is a part.

The next leading contender trails behind with two others which boast less than half the total certifications, to date, of the G20F series, leaving all the rest far behind at the "clubhouse turn."  As always, I shamelessly claim credit for the renewed interest in the Gold Rooster series.

I wish all a safe, happy and healthy Fourth!

[rrantique]

[GoldFinger1969]

On 7/4/2023 at 5:58 PM, Henri Charriere said:

No French 20-franc gold rooster has been certifiably graded Mint State-67, or higher, by any TPGS to my knowledge, for the years 1899 to 1906, commonly referred to as the "originals" as opposed to the "restrikes," or "redistributed" coins minted, in part, in 1921 as well as the 1950's and 1960's. 

For those of us who entered the movie late....are the "restrikes" just Roosters dated 1899-1906 that were struck decades later with long-expired dies ?  Or are the Roosters all dated when struck and they just call the 1899-1906 Roosters "The Originals" and those struck later (but with the correct date) restrikes/redistributeds ?

Sort of like how "Bewitched" with Dickk Sargent is considered a restrike of the first 5 years of "Bewitched" with Dickk York ! 

On 7/4/2023 at 5:58 PM, Henri Charriere said:

The two gold rooster restrikes dated 1908 and 1912 and graded an unprecedented MS-68 by PCGS and quickly cross-graded successfully by NGC, continue to reside in the Twilight Zone. Discreet inquiries regarding same are met with blank stares and shrugged shoulders.

Where does one find fellow Rooster collectors ?  It's a foreign coin, somewhat obscure....I haven't seen too many threads on the various coin forums, are their associations or online chat forums or something like that ?

On 7/4/2023 at 5:58 PM, Henri Charriere said:

Advice to prospective roostermeisters:  do your due diligence before you commit yourself.  It's only a 16-coin series but a challenge to assemble. One Top Member had a good chuckle when I declared my intention to complete my set within 90 days. My perception of 100% complete does not jibe with most collectors -- or at least one other TPGS.  To me, if higher grades have been certified, and you don't have them, your compilation, at least for Set Registry purposes, is not complete.

Because of the nature of French and European citizenry vis a vis gold and collapsing currencies, and given the smaller size of the 20 Franc Rooster....I take it most were in fact USED and CIRCULATED ?  Did France/Europe have small numbers of collectors who would properly preserve these coins as we did with many of our gold coins like Saint and Liberty Head DEs ?

Read a fascinating piece from the 1980's that talked about how France was way too tight with monetary policy -- the country hoarded too much gold -- from 1929-33 and this helped bring on the global Great Depression.

Edited July 5, 2023 by GoldFinger1969

[zadok]

On 7/5/2023 at 1:27 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

For those of us who entered the movie late....are the "restrikes" just Roosters dated 1899-1906 that were struck decades later with long-expired dies ?  Or are the Roosters all dated when struck and they just call the 1899-1906 Roosters "The Originals" and those struck later (but with the correct date) restrikes/redistributeds ?

Sort of like how "Bewitched" with Dickk Sargent is considered a restrike of the first 5 years of "Bewitched" with Dickk York ! 

Where does one find fellow Rooster collectors ?  It's a foreign coin, somewhat obscure....I haven't seen too many threads on the various coin forums, are their associations or online chat forums or something like that ?

Because of the nature of French and European citizenry vis a vis gold and collapsing currencies, and given the smaller size of the 20 Franc Rooster....I take it most were in fact USED and CIRCULATED ?  Did France/Europe have small numbers of collectors who would properly preserve these coins as we did with many of our gold coins like Saint and Liberty Head DEs ?

Read a fascinating piece from the 1980's that talked about how France was way too tight with monetary policy -- the country hoarded too much gold -- from 1929-33 and this helped bring on the global Great Depression.

...ill try to answer some of ur queries with my feeble n limited knowledge of the series of which some of my answers may be incorrect...to the best of my knowledge the "restrikes" were only of the coins dated 1907-1914, i am not aware of others dated for coins dated 1899-1906...earlier series french 20 francs did circulate n many r in circulated grades, the original roosters c.1899-1906 do show up in circulated grades but mostly AU grades indicating minimal circulation, the restrike years 1907-1914 virtually never show up in circulated grades indicating that these coins were not intended for circulation n were mostly used as "place holder" or receipt coins in place of the bullion which they represented, i am not informed if this was a legislated action by the french gov't like the US did or not...the later years roosters were simply bullion coins n r mostly treated as such by the international collecting community n r available in the thousands in unc grades...while earlier series of french 20 francs r seriously collected due to rarities n grade census collecting the roosters r treated much like ur "classical" saints, high grade only...the tpgs registries indicate this as such, the pcgs registry the last i looked had about 12 participants with a total of only 80 coins among them, the number 1 set of 16 coins had only 7 top pop coins of which were pretty much evenly divided between originals n restrike years...this series is lightly collected in part because the high grade top pops bring prices with a 500% premium over their melt value...as to ur query concerning the impact of the french hoarding gold n its various impacts, u seem to be the expert there n i wouldnt dare express an opinion...

Edited July 5, 2023 by zadok

[Henri Charriere]

Beyond the basics: dates, mintages and values assigned (which the alert collector will realize are all identical at the FDC grade, or Fleurs De Coin which embraces every Mint State grade from -65 to -70, inclusive, the values of which bear no relation to reality and are therefore inapplicable and of little use to the U.S. collector.)  Imagine attenting a coin show and being told the purchase price of any Mint State Gold Rooster restrike within an assigned grade is the same irrespective of its FDC [MS] status, FDC €450 or USD 490. Intragrade distinctions: strike, preservation, luster, color, eye appeal  are irrelevant!  Other countries have their own grading systems. @World Colonial has elsewhere stated that the French have capitulated to U.S. collectors and Sheldonized their scales to accommodate the [crazy] nit-picking American collectos; @zadok recognizes the disparity and notes the Top Ten serious collectors pay enormous premiums for those top tier/Top Pops, wirh many surpassing the 500% premiums routinely charged.

The standard resource, Monnais, Francais, 1789-2021, in its latest editon written and dedicated to Victor Gadoury, commonly referred to as The French Redbook (written in French) is comprised of 584 pages. The bottom half of page 285 is devoted to the Originals, 1899 to 1906; with references to earlier patterns and the top half of page 286, the Restrikes, 1907 to 1907, provide a sterile grocery list of the series.

Member @zadok's claims of "feeble and limited knowledge" are quite modest as his grasp of the subject matter bespeaks an intimate knowledge of Or Coq Marianne which suggests more than a passing interest in the subject and happens to be  completely accurate.  I commend my learned colleague for taking the time and trouble to weigh in on an arcane subject the specifics of which continue to elude me.  For example we know just under 117.5 million such coins were minted, but the certifications remain statistically insignificant.  The total number of certifications performed by NGC for the series total 7,798, to date.  If its 70 current set registrants were to complete each of their 16-coin circulated sets, that would total 840 coins, or only a fraction of the certified coins out there -- [PCGS, with a dozen set registrants, is markedly lower:  460 Originals + 2,953 restrkies for a total of 3,413 certifications; if all 12 sets were complete, that would amount to 12 X 16 or 192 coins.]

If there are any Gold Rooster "clubs" or threads, I am unaware of any. And, as the business of most coin outlets is business, there is no time for pen-pal-type relationships. @GoldFinger1969 mentioned enthusiasts. There probably are, but someone out there in the world would have responded to my overtures in the past  2-1/2 years of unrelenting drought.

Regarding the originals, the field remains sparce. Nobody knows how many were melted, officially or surreptitiously, and the number taken out of the country remains unknown. Hits, runs  errors, die cracks, and oddities such as too much or too little starch in collars, as well as "open" or "closed" 9's, particularly in 1914, though they appear in other dates, while acknowledged  are not ascribed any additional value.

One more thing: one asterisk (*) next to restrike date 1914, and no other, indicates 6.72M  were minted "dont" (French for, among other things) "of which" 202,359 were restruck and presumably redistributed in 1921. Next to a double-asterisk (**) is a notation that a total of 37,483,500 examples of restrikes were minted between 1951 and 1960 and are distinguishable from the Originals (par une coleur plus rouge) or "by their redder color."  No mention of how much copper was added or silver subtracted to produce this result. My theory is the composition of the later restrike series was tweaked resulting in a visible change evident whe they were restruck.aftey they were initiallly minted and re- distributed. In every source consulted. The percentages  given are 90/10.  I welcome all corrections.

A special thanks to @VKurtB for bringing to my attentiin the existence of The French Redbook by Gadoury, whose abbreviated name and catalog number (Gad-1064a) appear.on coins encapsulated by.a TPGSs European outpost.

A special.mentiin goes to the late, great @Oldhoopster who urged all serious collectors.to.put in the necessary  legwork, and "look it up."  Sound advice.

.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Henri Charriere
Comprehensive die polishing.

[VKurtB]

On 7/7/2023 at 9:33 PM, Henri Charriere said:

Beyond the basics: dates, minteges and values (which the alert collector will realize are identical at the FDC grade which embraces every Mint State grade from -65 to -70, the values are determined bear no relation to reality and are therefore inapplicable and of little use to the U.S. collector.)

The standard resource, Monnais, Francais, 1789-2021, in its latest editon written and dedicated to Victor Gadoury, commonly referred to as The French Redbook (written in French) is comprised of 584 pages. The bottom half of page 285 is devoted to the Originals, 1899 to 1906; with references to earlier patterns and the top half of page 286, the Restrikes, 1907 to 1907, provide a sterile grocery list of the series.

Member @zadok's claims of "feeble and limited knowledge" are quite modest as his grasp of the subject matter bespeaks an intimate knowledge of Or Coq Marianne which suggests more than a passing interest in the subject and is completely accurate.  I commend my learned colleague for taking the time and trouble to weigh in on an arcane subject the specifics of which continue to elude me.  For example we know just under 17.5 million such coins were minted, but the certifications remain statistically insignificant.  The total number of certifications performed by NGC total 7,798, to date.  If the 70 current set registrants were to complete each of their 16-coin circulated sets, that would total 840 coins, or only a fraction of the certified coins out there -- [PCGS with a dozen set registrants, is markedly lower:  460 Originals + 2,953 restrkies for a total of 3,413 certifications; if all 12 sets were comple that would amount to 12 X 16 or 192 coins.]

If there are any Gold Rooster "clubs" or threads, I am unaware of any. And, as the business of most coin outlets is business, there is no time for pen-pal-type relationships. @GoldFinger1969 mentioned enthusiasts. There probably are, but someone out there in the world would have responded to my overtures in the past  2-1/2 years of unrelenting drought.

Regarding the originals, the field remains sparce. Nobody knows how many were melted, officially or surreptitiously, and the number taken out of the country remains unknown.

One more thing: one asterisk (*) next to restrike date 1914, and no other, indicates 6.72 were minted "dont" (French for, among other things) "of which" 202,359 were restruck and presumably redistributed in 1921. Next to a double-asterisk (**) is a notation that a total of 37,483,500 examples of restrikes were minted between 1951 and 1960 and are distinguishable from the Originals (par une coleur plus rouge) or "by their redder color."  No mention of how much copper was added or silver subtracted to produce this result. My theory is the composition was tweaked resulting in a visible change as compared to restrike series when they were originally minted and distributed. In every source consulted, the percentages are given as 90/10.  I welcome all corrections.

A special thanks to @VKurtB for bringing to my attentiin the existence of The French Redbook by Gadoury, whose abbreviated name and catalog number (Gad-1064a) appear.on coins encapsulated by.a TPGSs European outpost.

.

I haz GOT to get serious about learning proper French pronunciation. September gallops in quickly from the horizon.

[GoldFinger1969]

It's interesting that the English tended to melt down our gold coins but France and other European countries kept them largely intact.

[zadok]

On 7/8/2023 at 1:14 AM, GoldFinger1969 said:

It's interesting that the English tended to melt down our gold coins but France and other European countries kept them largely intact.

...well we did have a revolution with them....

[Zebo]

Sovereigns were much more widely known throughout the world and used than U.S. or other European countries coinage. It only makes sense. Melt U.S. - mint sovereigns. 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Zebo

[Henri Charriere]

I received a very cordial greeting from a gentleman likely few collectors outside this series are acquainted with: Geoffrey Winstein of Win Numis.

He writes that he remembered our "deal" in 2019 and added a tidbit concerning my present wish list, in substance, as follows: We have graded 400 such coins since (high-end 20 Franc Gold Roosters, that is) and only 4 were returned as MS-67. [Emphasis mine.]

An MS-67 is a rare thing to behold and few certified examples remain in collectors' hands. (Though he does not mention it specifically, no example from the "original" series (1899-1906) has been so graded) and the number of originals graded MS-66, between both top TPGS, has remained stagnant at nine (9).

 

[VKurtB]

On 9/4/2023 at 9:44 PM, Henri Charriere said:

I received a very cordial greeting from a gentleman likely few collectors outside this series are acquainted with: Geoffrey Winstein of Win Numis.

He writes that he remembered our "deal" in 2019 and added a tidbit concerning my present wish list, in substance, as follows: We have graded 400 such coins since (high-end 20 Franc Gold Roosters, that is) and only 4 were returned as MS-67. [Emphasis mine.]

An MS-67 is a rare thing to behold and few certified examples remain in collectors' hands. (Though he does not mention it specifically, no example from the "original" series (1899-1906) has been so graded) and the number of originals graded MS-66, between both top TPGS, has remained stagnant at nine (9).

 

And how many of those 9 do you suppose reside in the collections of collectors who might have never even THOUGHT of assembling a Registry Set? Or if they HAVE thought of it, rejected it out of hand because the idea repulses them? Worth adding to your thought process.

[zadok]

On 9/5/2023 at 10:24 AM, VKurtB said:

And how many of those 9 do you suppose reside in the collections of collectors who might have never even THOUGHT of assembling a Registry Set? Or if they HAVE thought of it, rejected it out of hand because the idea repulses them? Worth adding to your thought process.

...i dont feel repulsed....

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2023 at 9:30 AM, zadok said:

...i dont feel repulsed....

You don't? By the idea of Registry Sets? Give it time.

[Henri Charriere]

It was a part of my thought process up until the time I bought a coin -- forget MS-67, for a moment, while I was still in the throes of upgrading, that was designated FDC, which one would assume would fall within the "from MS-65 to MS-70" range, but didn't.  It is now in the possession of a fine gentleman in the Heart of Dixie who was delighted to have it.  There is much to be said about your approach to collecting. Unfortunately, all I have to rely on when buying "sight-seen," is nothing more than a pixelated photograph and a money-back guarantee. As it is, I would have to eliminate some of the guesswork and that means resorting to formal certification. Can you just imagine me making a decision to sell and haranguing a HA official: "Don't forget to factor in my time, travel, and hotel accommodation expenses!"  I'd be laughed right out of there. I tell you the Set Registry experience, much like the lottery, brings out the very best, or worse, in people.  🤣

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2023 at 10:42 AM, Henri Charriere said:

nothing more than a pixelated photograph

The horror, the horror.

I conjure up visions of 9 collectors holding MS67 Coq Marianne in blissful ignorance that they mean anything special at all. How can I say that? Just look at all the ignorance exhibited daily on numismatic message boards. It's a pandemic!

Edited September 5, 2023 by VKurtB

[zadok]

On 9/5/2023 at 11:41 AM, VKurtB said:

You don't? By the idea of Registry Sets? Give it time.

...no by my buying registry set coins n not putting them into registry sets...i just happen to like having sets that r better than the top registry sets in case i ever decide...why not?....

[zadok]

On 9/5/2023 at 11:45 AM, VKurtB said:

The horror, the horror.

I conjure up visions of 9 collectors holding MS67 Coq Marianne in blissful ignorance that they mean anything special at all. How can I say that? Just look at all the ignorance exhibited daily on numismatic message boards. It's a pandemic!

...do we have to wear masks?....

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2023 at 12:51 PM, zadok said:

...no by my buying registry set coins n not putting them into registry sets...i just happen to like having sets that r better than the top registry sets in case i ever decide...why not?....

So by holding Registry Set quality coins that are either not in a set, or in a private set, you are frustrating those actual Registry Set aficionados, like Henri, who want to pry them loose from you, but can’t? Good man! I mean, wow, Henri has the number 1 set, but it’s mathematically possible that if a different obsessive gathered together all the top pops, he could be surpassed??? Sounds like “first world problems” to me. 

Edited September 5, 2023 by VKurtB

[zadok]

On 9/5/2023 at 1:55 PM, VKurtB said:

So by holding Registry Set quality coins that are either not in a set, or in a private set, you are frustrating those actual Registry Set aficionados, like Henri, who want to pry them loose from you, but can’t? Good man! 

...yea i do get some, mis-directed satisfaction out of that aspect of the sets...the registry provides many ways of satisfaction...allieviates boredom for one, but i use it both ways...i received 26 top registry sets last year for sets im partial to n like showing publicly, i also enjoy knowing that i posses other sets of coins that would be top registry sets if i choose to make them public, n i have other small groupings of coins that r missing in the current top registry sets...i n the later instances, just coins that r top pop coins but i dont want to go to the effort of buying several common top pop coins just to complete a set, just buy the finest certified rarities, it serves the same purpose without spending a lot of money on common readily available coins...true, no one is aware of these sets but so what? i just enjoy owning them, they dont need to be in the public domain...they serve a purpose for me n thats is enuf....

[GoldFinger1969]

On 9/5/2023 at 11:41 AM, VKurtB said:

You don't? By the idea of Registry Sets? Give it time.

Not my cup of tea, don't do it, sort of like a Fantasy Football or Baseball thing with coins....but anything that stimulates interest, even at the high end, is OK with me.

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2023 at 3:13 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Not my cup of tea, don't do it, sort of like a Fantasy Football or Baseball thing with coins....but anything that stimulates interest, even at the high end, is OK with me.

I don’t play, and never have played, any kind of Fantasy Sports anything. I’ve never had a DraftKings account. I don’t drink while doing a Fantasy draft. I don’t even UNDERSTAND the rules of any of that mishigaas. I am an unrepentant traditionalist, with “get off my lawn” tendencies. Listen, I don’t WANT my hobby to appeal to the newbs. Aside from improvements in grading and honesty, I want it as it has been for 80+ years, and I’m going to fight every day of the life I have left to keep it that way. The guys who need to change things to appeal to the newbs’ sensibilities can, quite frankly, bite me. And my kid agrees. 
 

The whole Fantasy Sports thing is about the attempt to make mere fans relevant. They’re not, and they shouldn’t be. Watch the damned games. 
 

Due to the Spectrum vs. Disney impasse, my wife couldn’t watch Alabama play this past weekend. The world did NOT end, although a casual observer might have thought otherwise. Penn State was on, so it was fine. Middle Tennessee State vs. ‘Bama? Gimme a stinking break!

How much of a traditionalist am I? I hate basketball’s shot and 3-point arc. I hate the Designated Hitter rule and that “start the 10th inning with a dude on second” rule. Heck, the NBA stinks because zone defenses are oulawed. Even football has ruined kickoffs with the end of “the ball is live” in the end zone rule. I don’t like change that doesn’t serve the interests of honesty and quality. 

Edited September 5, 2023 by VKurtB

[Henri Charriere]

I have never denied it is a form of mental disease or defect, an illness that apparently appeals to some, and not others.  In the old days, you would be happy to fill a hole. But along comes an indisputably finer example... and then another... and another. Suddenly, higher finer grades appear, and just when you thought you were done, you come to the realization you haven't even begun. The only cure is completion, but after being blindsided a few times with finer material you quickly realize completion is but a state of mind. No one's ranking is permanent.

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2023 at 8:10 PM, Henri Charriere said:

I have never denied it is a form of mental disease or defect, an illness that apparently appeals to some, and not others.  In the old days, you would be happy to fill a hole. But along comes an indisputably finer example... and then another... and another. Suddenly, higher finer grades appear, and just when you thought you were done, you come to the realization you haven't even begun. The only cure is completion, but after being blindsided a few times with finer material you quickly realize completion is but a state of mind. No one's ranking is permanent.

Particularly when, as in this case, the rate of encapsulation of truly great specimens may be rather pedestrian. That strikes me as the greater threat. My search of Paris begins less than a fortnight from now.

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by VKurtB

[Henri Charriere]

On 9/5/2023 at 9:31 PM, VKurtB said:

.... My search of Paris begins less than a fortnight from now.

Godspeed.  I appreciate the courtesy of your interest and effort!

[Henri Charriere]

For the benefit of those who have spent many a sleepless night agonizing over questions such as, Why did France change the inscription on the edge of the 20 franc gold rooster from "Dieu Protégé France," or God Save France on the originals dated 1899 to 1906, to "Liberte Equalite Fraternite," or Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood on the so-called "restrikes," dated 1907 to 1914, I inadvertently stumbled upon an explanation and offer it here for, as the late, great Oldhoopster put it, "broadening the body of knowledge."

After 1905, and the formal separation of church and state, and following anti-clerical pressure, the earlier inscription was changed to the newer one.  It should be noted, parenthetically, that the old inscription has been found on a number of restrikes.  As with most varieties and oddities of the French persuasion, no premium value attaches to restrikes bearing the older inscription.  The likelihood you may see one diminishes with each encapsulation.

[GoldFinger1969]

Primer for Newbies on Roosters:

https://learn.apmex.com/learning-guide/the-20-franc-gold-rooster/