1986 FRANCE STATUE OF LIBERTY 100 FRANC PIEDFORT MADE FROM 90% PURE SILVER ONLY 5000 MINTED This low-mintage, double-thick silver coin commemorates the Statue of Liberty on its 100th anniversary!
 What sight could be more beautiful and welcoming than Lady Liberty with the flame of freedom held high aloft? The world-famous Statue of Liberty has greeted generations of immigrants (and tourists) for over a century as she stands proudly in New York Harbor, where she remains a physical reminder of the freedoms that the United States represents. This unique, double-thick silver coin commemorates the centenary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Appropriately enough, the denomination is 100 francs.
The Statue of Liberty Liberty Enlightening the World, known more commonly as the Statue of Liberty, was given to the United States by France in 1885 and stands on Liberty Island in the mouth of the Hudson River as a welcome to all visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans. The copper statue, dedicated on October 28, 1886, commemorates the centennial of the United States in 1876 and is a gesture of friendship between the two nations. The sculptor was Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. Gustave Eiffel, the designer of the Eiffel Tower, engineered the internal structure. A short biography of Bartholdi can be found lower on this page. The statue of Lady Liberty is an allegory, filled with symbolism. She holds a torch in her right hand, representing the light of freedom, and a tablet in her left. The tablet shows the inscription JULY IV MDCCLXXVI - July 4, 1776, the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. One of her feet stands on chains, symbolizing the acquired freedom from oppression. The seven spikes in her crown represent the seven seas and seven continents.  Her height from ground to the top of the torch is 305 feet; this includes the foundation and the pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the base to the torch, is 151 feet. The statue weighs 204 tons and the pedestal weighs 24,500 tons. Lady Liberty was built from thin copper plates hammered into wooden forms through a process known as repoussé. The formed plates were then mounted onto a steel skeleton. The pedestal is built from stone and Rosendale natural cement. She was restored through a massive public campaign between 1984 and 1986, and reopened just in time for her centennial. Note on Piedforts:
France is one of only a very few countries in the world to ever strike piedforts, or double-thick coins. The increased depth of a piedfort is readily visible to the naked eye - in this instance, the coin is 5 mm (1/5 inch) thick! As a result, each also has double the silver content of the standard issue. Most piedforts are generally struck in much smaller quantities than their regular counterparts - the Statue of Liberty 100 Francs Piedfort has a mintage limit of only 5,000! Well-known in Europe for decades, piedforts are catching on with collectors in North America as well.
Obverse
A simple, bold and yet dynamic portrait of the Statue of Liberty, as she gazes straight forward as if regarding her viewer. The dates of her centennial, 1886-1986, and RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE are also noted.  ReverseThe a stylized version of the motto of the French Republic, LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ is presented as part of the Tree of Life motif, capped by a Phrygian or Liberty Cap. The date of issue and denomination are also indicated.
Specifications
| Country | France | | Year of Issue | 1986 | | | | | Face Value | 100 Francs | | Weight Pure Silver Weight | 30.00 g .868 TROY OZ | | Diameter | 32.00 mm | | Mintage Limit | 5,000 | | | | | Finish | Brilliant Uncirculated | | Composition | .900 Fine Silver | | Edge | Plain | | Packaging | Encapsulated |
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the famous French sculptor, was born in Colmar, Alsace in 1834. He studied architecture in Colmar and then went to Paris to further his studies in architecture as well as painting. Bartholdi would go on to become one of the most celebrated sculptors of the 19th century, famous both in Europe and in North America. He would specialize in large-scale sculptures that serve as significant monuments.
The work for which he is most famous is the Statue of Liberty, donated by the government of France in 1886 to the United States. The face of the Statue of Liberty is said to be that of Bartholdi’s mother. Before starting his commission, he traveled to the United States to personally select New York Harbor as the site for the statue. In 1879 Bartholdi was awarded design patent U.S. Patent D11,023 for the Statue of Liberty. This patent covered the sale of small copies of the statute. Proceeds from the sale of the statues helped raise money to build the full statue.
Each bid is for 1 1986 France Statue of Liberty 100 Franc Piedfort with almost One Ounce of Pure Silver. If your bid is for "quantity 2" you are bidding on 2 Brilliant Uncirculated 1986 France Statue of Liberty 100 Franc Coins, "quantity 3" is 3 1986 Silver 100 Franc Coins, etc. |
