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Vichy France
2 Franc
Aluminium Coin
維希法國
2法郎鋁幣
Item number: A1682
Year: AD 1944
Material: Aluminium
Size: 26.9 x 26.9 x 1.5 mm
Weight: 2.2g
Manufactured by: Castelsarrasin Mint
Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014
This is a 2-franc aluminium coin minted by Castelsarrasin Mint and issued by the French State (État français) under the Vichy regime.
The obverse of the coin features the personal emblem of Marshal Philippe Pétain, the leader of the Vichy regime, an emblem that appeared on many items associated with the government. At the centre is a double-headed axe, with ten five-pointed stars along the axe handle. At the top of the handle, the Latin inscription “S PACIS” is present, which may signify Signum Pacis (“Symbol of Peace”) or Servus Pacis (“Servant of Peace”), aligning with the Vichy government’s self-proclaimed role as the “guardian of order.” The precise symbolism of the double-headed axe and the stars remains unclear, though the axe is often associated with fascist ideology in modern contexts. Below the axe, on either side, are bundles of wheat, while the lower portion of the design bears the inscription ÉTAT FRANÇAIS (“French State”). A small “C” in the upper left denotes the mint mark of the Castelsarrasin Mint. The overlapping “LB” in the upper right represents the signature of Lucien Georges Bazor, who served as the chief engraver of the Paris Mint from AD 1930 to 1958.
The reverse of the coin features the denomination “2” at the centre, with “Francs” inscribed below, and “1944” indicating the year of issue. Oak leaves flank the denomination, symbolising strength, wisdom, bravery, and honour. Encircling the upper portion is the phrase TRAVAIL·FAMILLE·PATRIE (“Work, Family, Fatherland”). This motto had been widely used by French right-wing parties and organisations since the early 20th century. Under Pétain’s rule, it replaced the republican motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”), reflecting the Vichy regime’s emphasis on Révolution nationale (“National Revolution”), which sought to replace both capitalism and socialism with corporatism. To the right of “1944,” a single-winged symbol serves as Bazor’s personal mark, while to the left, a cornucopia (Cornucopia) represents the mint mark of the Paris Mint.
Castelsarrasin is a town in southwestern France. In AD 1914, the French government established a temporary mint there in anticipation of a potential siege of Paris. This facility was originally part of the Usine française des métaux (“French Metalworks”). In 1942, the German army captured the town and requisitioned the factory for the production of currency for the French State. During the Nazi occupation of France, the French State franc functioned as a subsidiary currency to the German Reichsmark, with an exchange rate of 20 francs to 1 mark.
Philippe Pétain (AD 1856 to 1951) was a French military leader and political figure. He gained prominence during the First World War as the commander of French forces at the Battle of Verdun, earning the title “Hero of Verdun.” However, his role in history changed drastically during the Second World War. In AD 1940, following France’s rapid defeat by Germany in the Blitzkrieg, Pétain was appointed head of government and, representing France, signed the Armistice of Compiègne, accepting German occupation terms.
Following the armistice, northern France and the Atlantic coastline came under direct German military occupation, while the southern zone was governed by Pétain’s administration, known as the État français or Vichy France, so named after its capital, Vichy. Though nominally independent, the Vichy government operated as a puppet regime under German oversight. Pétain pursued policies of conservatism and authoritarianism under the slogan Révolution nationale, abolishing the liberal democratic framework of the Third Republic and promoting traditional family values, religious conservatism, and anti-communism. The regime collaborated extensively with Nazi Germany, including the deportation of Jews to concentration camps and the provision of French labour and resources to support the German war effort.
In AD November 1942, Germany launched Case Anton, fully occupying the southern zone and stripping the Vichy regime of any remaining autonomy. Following the Allied invasion of France in AD 1944, the Vichy government collapsed. Pétain was taken to Germany by the retreating Nazis, later surrendering in AD 1945 and being extradited to France. After the war, he was tried and convicted of treason for his collaboration with Nazi Germany, receiving a death sentence. However, due to his advanced age and military record, President Charles de Gaulle commuted his sentence to life imprisonment. He was incarcerated on the Île d’Yeu, where he remained until his death in AD 1951, leaving behind a legacy of deep controversy.
卡斯特爾薩拉桑是法國西南部的一個城市,公元1914年,法國政府在該市設立了一座臨時造幣廠,以應對巴黎可能遭受圍攻的情況。該工廠原為法國金屬工業(française des métaux)的工廠。公元1942年,德軍攻陷此處,徵用工廠生產法蘭西國法郎。在納粹佔領法國期間,法蘭西國法郎是德國馬克的附屬貨幣,匯率為20法郎兌1馬克。
Zdatny, Steven M. “The Corporatist Word and the Modernist Deed: Artisans and Political Economy in Vichy France.” European History Quarterly. 16 (2): 155–179. 1986.
Simonnet, Stéphane. Atlas de la libération de la France : 6 juin 1944 – 8 mai 1945. Paris: Editions Autrement, 2004.
Sédillot, René. Le franc enchaîné. Histoire de la monnaie française pendant la guerre et l’occupation. Paris: Sirey, 1945.
Blanc, Jérôme. Pouvoirs et monnaie durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale en France : la monnaie subordonnée au politique. Internationa conference on War, Money and Finance. Université Lumière Lyon, 2008.