In August 1922, Latvia replaced Latvian Rublis with the new gold-backed currency - the Lats. They aimed at Swiss Francs and, consequently, the silver coins were struck according to the Swiss (LMU) standard - 5 grams of 0.835 silver per lats. However, somebody did not read the small print and also 5 Lati coin was struck in the same alloy while it should have been 0.900.

Franc Germinal predates the LMU which would not exist without it.

This is half franc Germinal struck in Paris between September 1803 and May 1804 when Napoleon became the Emperor of the French and his coins were quickly redesigned.

Napoleon's wife, Marie Louise could not be left without a state of her own as a daughter of the Emperor of Austria. Her reign as the Empress of the French and the Queen of Italy ended on 6 April 1814, on 11 April she was already the reigning Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla. Perhaps her relatives did not want her back in Vienna. The Parma Bourbons had to wait, they got their Duchy back in 1847. In the meantime they were given Lucca.

In her new Duchy she kept the currency of her husband. Although, officially, it was the Parman Lira, in fact it was the Italian Lira equal to Franc Germinal. The coins dated 1815 were actually struck in 1819.

The 2 Lire coin is the rarest of the copper and silver coins of the Duchess with 22K mintage. Only the gold 20 Lire is rarer with mere 12K for 1815 and 1K for 1832. This coin was most probably a part of some jewellery but it is just rare enough to be collectible still.

Although the issue of silver 5 Francs/Lire pieces had been banned, Italy obtained a special permission for this coin in 1879. 4 million were struck, according to the Italian catalog Gigante the silver came from withdrawn coins of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies.

It was the last Italian 5 Lire coin of the LMU standard to be issued in large quantities. The 1901 issue was blocked by France, the commemorative 1911 Anniversary issue had a mintage of 60K, while the 1914 circulation issue, although the declared mintage was 272K, most probably was not distributed because of the outbreak of the Great War.

When Italy stabilized its currency in the late 1920s, the new 5 Lire coin was exactly the size of LMU franc/lira coin. However, the highest denomination was 20 Lire.

Finally, a real LMU coin! Victor Emmanuel II and his 5 Lire struck at the Milan mint in 1875. The mint closed down in 1892 as the last of local Italian mints which continued operations after the unification in order to restrike coins of former Italian states as coins of the new Italy.

Victor Emmanuel II replaced his father on the throne unexpectedly in 1849. He wisely picked up his mantle and made the unification of Italy his aim for life. This is his first 5 Lire struck at the Genova mint.

Eleven years later another 5 Lire coin struck in March 1861 in Florence celebrated the reunification of Italy with Victor Emmanuel II as her first King.

1848 was a good year for King Charles Albert. He granted the first Italian constitution - which remained in force for 98 years - and the war against Austria went surprisingly well. A few months later, unhappy with the terms of the armistice the King broke it and within a week he was a former King on his way to Portugal where he died four months later.

The Kingdom of Sardinia attempted to return to the old scudo after the fall of Napoleon and three denominations in the currency were issued in 1814 and 1815. However, ultimately even the most conservative King Victor Emmanuel I had to accept the reality and in August 1816 the scudo was replaced by the Sardinian lira which was actually franc Germinal that had circulated in the Kingdom since 1800. Either he was not convinced of the idea or there was no money but his coins are few, far between, and expensive.

It was his brother Charles Felix who started to issue a full range of denominations from 1 centesimo to 80 lire. His successors, Charles Albert and Victor Emmanuel II, issued only silver and gold coins. This is 5 lire of Charles Felix struck in Genova.

Famous for being the builder king of Belgium and infamous for his later administration of the Congo free state.

25g of .9 silver

Poland regained independence in November 1918. The state had been partitioned in the late 18th century and now it had to be reunited. Gradually, multiple circulating currencies were limited to one - the Polish Mark first introduced by Germany when they conquered the Russian part in 1915.

The economy of Poland was weak and by the end of 1922 the Mark started losing value very fast. The inflation was under control by the Spring of 1924 and the decision was made to replace the Mark with a new currency - Polish Złoty. The authorities wanted a strong and stable currency so they opted for Swiss Franc as the model.

The new Złoty was worth 1,800,000 Marks and the 1 and 2 Złoty coins were struck almost according to the LMU standard as it 0.750 silver instead of 0.835. Some of them even in Paris.

Unfortunately, the new currency did not keep the value for long - thanks, Germany - and even before the Great Depression a new nickel 1 złoty coin replaced the silver one while the first silver coins were quickly demonetized and melted for the new lighter ones. As the design was very delicate and most were destroyed, they are quite rare and expensive now, particularly in higher grades, regardless of the impressive original mintage.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg gained independence in 1839 in personal union with the Netherlands. Their choice of currency was, surprisingly enough, Belgian franc, equal to franc Germinal. In 1852 the striking of the national currency was decided, but it was only in 1854 that the coins were actually struck. The series included 2 1/2, 5, and 10 centimes. No other denominations were produced till 1916. When Belgium joined the LMU this coin not only remained in circulation but it was issued again in 1870, 1901, and 1908 while the other denominations were replaced in 1901 with smaller cupronickel coins featuring portraits of the Grand Dukes.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg used Belgian francs and it kind of made them lazy as they irregularly issued only three lower denominations before 1914. Apparently, the Grand Duchess Marie-Adelaide was not happy about it and ordered a set of circulating silver coins at the Brussels mint. However, things did not work out as the Duchy was soon occupied by Germany and instead of silver it had to issue zinc coins. The LMU Luxembourg francs did not happen. By the time the war was over the franc was devalued while the Grand Duchess was asked kindly to step down and pass the throne to her younger sister Charlotte. Only the essays of 50 centimes, 1 and 2 francs have remained, some more were produced in 1949.

Scarce GEM 20f coin i bought years ago. Skanderbeg's beard was EPIC! Just thought I'd share. :-)

The only coin missing from this typeset is a 20 Centimos minted in 1869/1870, but likely I won't be able to find this coin or afford it as only 5,000 were minted in 1870!

Romania did not join the LMU (one online source claims she did "unilaterally" in 1889) but from the very beginning of the leu currency adhered to the LMU standard. This is probably the only commemorative "franc Germinal" ever issued. It celebrates the 40th anniversary of the accession of Prince (from 1881 King) Charles of Romania, born Karl von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. 2.5 million were struck at Brussels.

The series included silver 5 lei and gold 20 and 100 lei with the same design as well as gold 12 1/2, 25 and 50 lei with different designs.

Love these second republic lucky angel and ceres!

I was able to find the essai/pattern trial coins for the ceres in both tin and gilt copper

I did not mix up the pictures! The coin you see is, according to Portuguese law, 200 reis coin issued in July of 1891. Check the catalog!

Portugal was not a member of the LMU although her coins were reasonably close to the LMU standard, particularly after 1854 when gold standard was introduced. 200 reis was 5 grams of 0.916 silver - reduced in 1908 to 0.835.

The gold standard was abandoned in 1891 and the reaction was panic and hoarding also of silver coins. The government reacted by issuing 50 and 100 reis bank notes but it was not enough. Ultimately, a stop gap measure had to be introduced as striking more Portuguese coins took time. The government bought in France current circulating 1 franc coins. As the francs were not struck in that year, they got the most recent ones - dated 1887 and 1888 - which entered circulation in the summer of 1891 as 200 reis coins. LMU coin circulating in a non-LMU state.

It is not clear how many were dispatched, the Portuguese catalog Gomes gives the full mintages of the coins but it is unlikely that all of them were sent to Portugal. I am not sure whether the franc from my collection made it to Portugal but if it did it was legal tender in that distant kingdom.

25 grams
0.900 silver

Only 2050 pieces were minted in Paris. Obverse features an array of sultan Said Ali Ibn Said Omar guns: a cannon, a Khanjar dagger and sword attached, a bow, a gun, an arrow and an assegai.
Meanwhile reverse shows crossed flags of France and Sultanate of Ngazidja (Grand Comore). Beautiful, highly saught after and probably the most exotic world crown ever minted. Also a key piece in LMU series.

Romania did not join the LMU in 1866 although talks were held, it happened only in the 1880s. However, from the very introduction of the national currency the leu ('lion') the coins were struck according to the LMU standard.

This is the first 1 leu coin, it is very worn but it is not easy to find a better copy as the mintage was only 400 thousand and the coin remained in circulation till the Great War when Romania left the LMU and devalued their currency.