A series of unofficial Proof Essai (Pattern) coins dated 2004 has been released for each of the French Overseas Territories.  As a joint project, each of the territories is releasing three pattern coins: a silver 1/4 Euro, a crown-sized silver 1 1/2 Euro and a 1/4 ounce gold 20 Euro.

The Gold 20 Euro coins are hand struck and each contains 1/4 troy ounce of gold. They are 27mm in diameter.  Each coin  features an important native animal on one side and the territorial arms on the other.  The revised mintage on the gold has been dropped to only 50 pieces of each type, making them an unbelievable rarity.   Because each coin is individually hand struck, minor imperfections may be encountered.

The silver 1 1/2 Euro coins commemorate the history of the French Navy.  Each coin features a famous ship on one side of the coin, the territories arms on the other. Each coin is 38mm in diameter and contains 1 ounce of .999 fine silver.  They have a mintage of only 2000 Pieces.

The silver 1/4 Euro coins commemorate French Medalist and coin designer Louis Oscar Roty.  Roty lived from 1846 to 1911.  He was a prolific sculpture and engraver.  His works can be found in most major European museums. He is probably best remembered for his 1898 engravraving of "Semeuse (the Sower) which graced French coins for nearly a century.   The obverse of each coin features his portrait and the name of the territory.  The reverse features a beautiful rendition of one of his works on the other.  The coins are 27mm in diameter and contain 1/4 ounce of .999 silver.  There is a mintage of only 2000 pieces of each type.

Each coin is graded Fleur-de-Coin (FDC) in French standards, and is Proof or Proof-like in American grading standards.

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FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC TERRITORIES

Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF)

This territory consists of several groups of islands in the southern Indian Ocean and a sector of Antarctica that is claimed by France. The territory is inhabited by a few researchers and many Penguins.  The silver 1/4 Euro coin features a portrait of French engraver Louis Roty on the front, while the back shows his 1898 engraving of "Semeuse (the Sower), which was used on numerous French coins until 2001.  The silver 1 1/2 Euro shows the crew of the sailing ship L'Astrolabe trying to extract it from Antarctic sea ice.  The obverse features the arms of the Territories.
Item TF-1/4E  FRENCH ANTARCTIC TERR. 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)  sold out
Item TF-1-1/2E  FRENCH ANTARCTIC TERR. 1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF) $29.95
Item TF-20E  FRENCH ANTARCTIC TERR. GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)   $319.50

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FRENCH GUYANA

Located on the northern coast of South America, French Guyana was the home of the infamous "Devil's Island" penal colony. The silver 1/4 Euro features a portrait of Louis Oscar Roty on the obverse. The reverse has a vignette from Roty's 1892 silver plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the internationally renowned silversmith Christolfe.  The silver 1 1/2 Euro portrays the Louis XIV’s flagship the Soleil Royal. The 104 gun ship was launched in the late 17th century to join the relentless battles between the French, Dutch, English and Spanish over domination of the oceans.  After successful battles against the British and Dutch, she was burned while beached for repairs in 1792 to avoid capture.  The gold 20 Euros features a native Boa Constrictor.  The arms of French Guyana is on the obverse of both the 1 1/2 Euro and 20 Euro.
Item GF-1/4E  FRENCH GUYANA SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)   sold out
Item GF-1-1/2E  FRENCH GUYANA SILVER  1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF-LIKE) $29.95
Item GF-20E  FRENCH GUYANA GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)write

Click Here for SCARCE GUADELOUPE 1921 FRANC

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GUADELOUPE

Guadeloupe is a French Territory in the Caribbean.  It was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and first settled by the French in 1635.  Its major industries are tourism and making rum.  The silver 1/4 Euro features a vignette from a medal French medalist Louis Oscar Roty struck for the Lyon Chamber of Commerce in 1892.  The 1 1/2 Euro features the iron clad French warship La Glorie.  The La Glorie, built in 1860, was the first iron clad warship.   The gold 20 Euro features the Brown Pelican.  The Guadeloupe arms is on the obverse of both the 1 1/2 Euro and 20 Euro.
Item GP-1/4E  GUADELOUPE SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)  $19.95
Item GP-1-1/2E  GUADELOUPE   SILVER 1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF) $29.95
Item GP-20E  GUADELOUPE GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF-LIKE)   $319.50

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MARTINIQUE

Martinique, an island in the Caribbean, was discovered in 1502 by Columbus. It has been a French possession since 1635.  It is the home of Mt. Pelee, whose eruption in 1902 claimed some 40,000 lives. The silver 1/4 Euro has a portrait of French medalist Louis Oscar Roty.  The reverse features a vignette from Roty's 1892 medal, "Electricity". The 1 1/2 Euro features the World War II battleship Dunkerque.  Her crew served bravely in the early years WWII. Both the British and the Germans attacked her before her crew scuttled her in November 1942 to prevent her capture by the Germans.  The gold 20 Euro features the native Gret Egret.  The Martinique arms, featuring four snakes, is on the obverse of both the 1 1/2 Euro and the 20 Euro.
Item MQ-1/4E  MARTINIQUE SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)  sold out
Item MQ-1-1/2E  MARTINIQUE   SILVER 1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF) $29.95
Item MQ-20E  MARTINIQUE GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF-LIKE)    $319.50

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MAYOTTE

Mayotte is located off the eastern coast of Africa.  It has a population of about 85,000. When the three northern islands of the Comoros group   unilaterally declared independence in 1975, Mayotte chose to remain with France. Since then there has been an ongoing dispute, with the Comoros claiming Mayotte, with France upholding the rights of the inhabitants to choose their own destiny.  The obverse of the silver 1/4 Euro pictures Louis Oscar Roty, while the reverse shows a vignette from his 1893 silver medal Maternitè (Maternity). The battleship Bouvet is on the 1 1/2 Euro.  In 1915 she hit a mine and sunk in under 2 minutes, with a loss of 660 men. The gold 20 Euro features a pair of  Brown Lemurs on the reverse.  The arms of Mayotte is on the obverse of both the 1 1/2 and 20 Euro.
Item YT-1/4E  MAYOTTE  SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)   $19.95
Item YT-1-1/2E  MAYOTTE   SILVER 1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF) $29.95
Item YT-20E  MAYOTTE GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF-LIKE)  $299.95

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REUNION

Reunion is located in the Indian Ocean. Almost the entire economy is devoted to the production of sugar and sugar by-products such as rum and molasses.  Most of the sugar production on the island is controlled by about a dozen large plantations.  The obverse of the silver 1/4 Euro features a portrait of  French Medalist Louis Oscar Roty.  The reverse features a vignette from his 1888 bronze medal "la Fermière (The Farm Girl)". The silver 1 1/2 Euros features France's new Aircraft Carrier, the Charles De Gaulle.  The gold 20 Euros shows a pair of Yellow-Nosed Albatross.  The arms of Reunion is on the obverse of both the 1 1/2 and 20 Euro.
Item RE-1/4E  REUNION SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)  $19.95
Item RE-1-1/2E  REUNION  SILVER  1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF) $29.95
Item RE-20E  REUNION  GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF-LIKE) $319.50

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ST. BARTHELEMY

Saint Barthelemy, also known as St. Barts or St. Barths, is an island in the Caribbean.  Tourism is its main industry. The obverse of the silver 1/4 Euro  features a portrait of the French medallist, Louis Oscar Roty, 1846-1911.  The reverse features a vignette from his 1893 medal  "Patria non immemore (The Fatherland does not forget)” commemorating the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Third Republic.  The silver 1 1/2 Euro shows the Frigate Hermione, a sailing ship from the late 18th century.  The gold 20 Euro shows a mother duck and her chick. The arms of St. Barthlemy is on the obverse of both the 1 1/2 and 20 Euro.
Item BART-1/4E  ST. BARTHLEMY SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)   $19.95
Item BART-1-1/2E  ST. BARTHLEMY   SILVER 1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF-LIKE) $29.95
Item BART-20E  ST. BARTHLEMY GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF-LIKE)   $319.50

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ST. MARTIN

Saint Martin, also known as St. Maarteen is a tropical island in the Caribbean known for its beautiful beaches, fine hotels, casinos and restaurants.  As might be expected, its major industry is tourism. The silver 1/4 Euro features the portrait of  French medalist Louis Oscar Roty on the obverse.  The reverse features an impressive vignette of Science and Liberty from his 1896 work.  The 38mm silver 1 1/2 Euro features the sailing ship Ville de Paris.  The Ville de Paris was the flagship of the French fleet that  blocked the English fleet from the Yorktown Peninsula in Chesapeake Bay during the closing days of the American Revolution.  Trapped on the peninsula by American troops and unable to get reinforcements or to retreat, British General Cornwallis was forced to surrender, thus assuring the independence of  the United States.  The ship was later captured by the British in the Battle of the Saints.  The gold 20 Euro pictures an Osprey in flight with a fish in its talons.  The Arms of St. Martin appears on the obverse of botht he 1 1/2 and 20 Euro coins.
Item MARTIN-1/4E  ST. MARTIN SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)  sold out
Item MARTIN-1-1/2E  ST. MARTIN   SILVER 1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF) $29.95
Item MARTIN-20E  ST. MARTIN GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF-LIKE)  write

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ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON

Saint Pierre and Miquelon are islands off the coast of Newfoundland.  They have a population of only about 6500 and are the last remnant of what was France's vast North American Empire, that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. The silver 1/4 Euro features the portrait of  French medalist Louis Oscar Roty on the obverse.  The reverse features his 1893 rendition of Marianne, the national symbol of France.  The silver 1 1/2 Euro coin the Free French Corvette Mimosa.  The Mimosa was sunk by a German submarine in June 1942, with a loss of 58 French sailors, a majority of which came from St. Pierre and Miquelon.  The loss of so many young men had a lasting effect on the small island community.   The reverse has the arms of  St. Pierre et Miquelon which features a three masted sailing ship.
Item SPM-1/4E  ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON  1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF)  $19.95
Item SPM-1-1/2E  ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON  1 1/2 EUROS ESSAI 2004  FDC (PROOF) $29.95
Item SPM-20E  ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON  GOLD 20 EUROS ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF)  $319.50

Also see:
ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON 1 & 2 FRANC COINS

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SPECIAL - BUY THE SET AND SAVE

Order the entire set of these pattern coins issued by the nine French Territories  - You will save some money and be assured of getting all the low mintage coins in the series. We are offering three different collections, one for each denomination issued.  Each set will consist of one FDC (Proof) coin from French Southern & Antarctic Territories,  French Guyana, Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Martinique, Reunion, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, and St. Pierre & Miquelon.  Because the coins have a very limited mintage: 300 pieces each for the gold and 2000 pieces each for the silver, I expect them to sell out.
Item FR-SET-1/4  SET OF ALL 9 FRENCH TERRITORIES 1/4 EURO COINS  sold out
Item FR-SET-1.5  SET OF ALL 9 FRENCH TERRITORIES 1 1/2 EURO COINS    $249.50
Item FR-SET-20   SET OF ALL 9 FRENCH TERRITORIES GOLD 20 EUROS   write