Bulletin Numismatique n°227 29 As a collector of modern coins, my favorite ones are the large bronze coins, such as the 10 cents pieces from the various countries of the Latin Union and the British one penny. France inaugurated the minting of bronze coins of this size with the 10 centimes of Napoleon III bare head in 1852, then continued with the laureate head, Cérès and Dupuis types. France stands out, among all countries, for the precision of the coinage, as evidenced by the relatively small number of varieties found for the 4 types mentioned, manly related to the size of mint and mint directors marks. In particular, for the 10 centimes Cérès, minted between 1870 and 1898, Le Franc registers only four varieties, three associated with the use of different sized ‘A’ mintmarks on the coins dated 1870 and 1871, and one due to the 1888/7 overdate. Figure 1 This is a very small number, especially when compared with the many dozens of varieties found on the British one penny coins of the same period, a sign of the care with which the dies were prepared and checked by the Paris and Bordeaux mints involved in the coinage. To these varieties a new one must perhaps be added, which I noticed on the obverse of a 1888/7 ten cents coin while examining my collection. There are actually several differences, which concern the width of the date (1888), the name of the engraver (Oudiné) and the circle of dots surrounding the head of Cérès. To distinguish the two types, I will refer to the first as Type A and to the second as Type B, both in the text and the illustrations. On Type A, the width of the date, from the base of the 1 to that of the last 8, is equivalent to 8 border teeth (see figure 1). As for the engraver’s name, the central letters are aligned on the same base, while the initial ‘O’ and the final ‘É’ are slightly higher, perhaps to follow the curvature of the circle of dots surrounding Cérès’ head. Finally, the accent above the ‘E’ consists in a small, thin line, about half as wide as the letter ‘E’. On Type B (see figure 2) one can notice at least four differences. First of all, the date width now corresponds to 8 ½ teeth, from the base of the 1 to that of the last 8. The greater length is due to the slightly greater distance between the digits ‘8’ in the date. The name of the engraver, Oudiné, is now misaligned: the ‘I’ is in a lower position, while the ‘D’ is slightly tilted to the right, as well as being slightly wider. The entire name is also positioned slightly higher than in Type A, especially the final letters. The most notable difference, however, concerns the accent above the ‘E’, which is now a large triangle, as wide as the entire letter ‘E’. A final detail regards the circle of dots surrounding Cérès’ head, as between the two dots positioned above the last ‘8’ of the date there is now a small gap, which is missing in Type A. Figure 2 I have no information to assess whether one type is more rarer than the other; I have seen pictures of both on the internet. In my collection I also have a 10 cents coin dated 1888 (clear date) which shows mixed features, with a date 8 ½ teeth wide (as in type B) and a small accent above the ‘É’ of Oudiné , as in type A. It may be that additional variations also exist for 1888, which would be interesting to verify. The discovery of new varieties has been greatly facilitated in recent years by the use of high resolution scans of the coins for a more accurate examination, and it is always exciting to discover even small differences related to the use of different dies. Ruggero STANGLINI 10 CENTIMES CÉRÈS 1888/7: A NEW VARIETY? The Banknote Book is an indispensable new catalog of world notes. Each chapter includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. More than 145 country-specific chapters are currently available for purchase individually or by subscription. www.BanknoteBook.com THE BANKNOTE BOOK SUBSCRIBE NOW! Collectors everywhere agree, “This catalog is vastly superior to the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money!”
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