Coin
100 Francs Liberté de Delacroix (1993) — France
France • 1993 • Franc 2014#461, KM#1018.1, Gad 1789#924, GEM#242.3
Overview
Circulating commemorative coin featuring Liberty from Delacroix's painting and the Louvre Museum for its 200th Anniversary.
Specifications
- Country
- France
- Year
- 1993
- Composition
- Silver (.900)
- Weight
- 15 g
- Diameter
- 31 mm
- Thickness
- 2.5 mm
- Mint
- Monnaie de Paris, Paris
- Shape
- Round
- Technique
- Milled
- References
- Franc 2014#461, KM#1018.1, Gad 1789#924, GEM#242.3
- Issuer
- France
Design details
Obverse
A detail of Eugène Delacroix's famous painting of "Liberty guiding the people" holding the tricolor flag with his right hand and a rifle with his left hand is accompanied by a caption indicating the name of the painting. Lettering: LA LIBERTÉ GUIDANT LE PEUPLE RF.
Reverse
A view of the Louvre Museum with pyramids, from the main courtyard, is surmounted by the legend "BICENTENNIAL OF THE Louvre MUSEUM", the face value being below. Lettering: BICENTENAIRE DU MUSÉE DU LOUVRE 1993 100F.
Collector insights
- Design heritage: Eugène Delacroix is credited as the designer for the 200th Anniversary of the Louvre Museum series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
- Struck at: Monnaie de Paris, Paris. Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
- Low mintage: Only 1,850 pieces reported. This puts the issue into key-date territory for its series; expect steep grade-based price scaling and a higher counterfeit risk — provenance and third-party grading matter.
- Precious metal content: Silver (.900) — bullion value provides a price floor, and many circulated examples were melted during the 1979–1980 and post-2010 silver spikes, reducing the surviving population.
- Catalogue reference: Listed as
Franc 2014#461, KM#1018.1, Gad 1789#924, GEM#242.3. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.
Curator Insights
Historical context
In 1993, France celebrated the bicentennial of the Louvre Museum, which transitioned from a royal palace to a public museum during the French Revolution in 1793. This commemorative silver issue was minted by the Monnaie de Paris to highlight the museum's role in preserving French cultural identity. The coin was released during a period of modern reorganization for the museum, following the completion of the Grand Louvre project.
Design heritage
The obverse captures a detailed section of Eugène Delacroix’s 1830 masterpiece, 'Liberty Leading the People,' representing the revolutionary spirit of the nation. The reverse depicts the Louvre's main courtyard featuring I.M. Pei's glass pyramid, which serves as the museum's entrance. This modern architectural element contrasts with the historic museum facade to represent the institution's evolution over two centuries.
Varieties and technical notes
This 31mm silver issue was produced with a plain edge and minted in 0.900 fine silver. Collectors should look for the characteristic 'RF' monogram on the obverse and the specific mint marks of the Monnaie de Paris near the date on the reverse. The 100 Francs denomination was primarily used for commemorative purposes during this era rather than standard circulation.
Survival and modern availability
With a limited mintage of only 1,850 pieces, this specific issue remains quite scarce compared to higher-volume French silver commemoratives of the 1990s. Many examples were preserved in original mint packaging, maintaining their 15g silver weight and high-grade surfaces. The relatively low production numbers suggest that the majority of the population remains in collector hands rather than having been lost to general circulation attrition.
Related pieces
More from France
Other 100 Francs Liberté de Delacroix issues
Explore more
Browse more items in the full catalog or view France in the country guide.