The 2001 "Ultimate Franc" Curved Gold Coin

2001 Gold Ultimate Franc coin

On the eve of converting the French economy to the Euro in 2002, the Paris Mint produced "un ultime franc" - the Ultimate (or Last) Franc.  Minted in both gold and silver, these Philippe Marck-designed coins had purposefully warped planchets and a minimalist appearance, making for a unique coin to mark the end of a coinage that began in 1630. Made of .750 fineness gold with an AGW of .6293 ozt, each 2001 Gold Ultimate Franc (KM#1290a) comes in a Monnaie de Paris presentation box with certificate of authenticity. The 2001 Gold Ultimate Franc was limited to a mintage of 5000 coins.