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.

物件編號: A1682

年代: 公元 1944 年

材質: 鋁

尺寸: 26.9 x 26.9 x 1.5 mm

重量: 2.2 g

製造地: 卡斯特爾薩拉桑鑄幣廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚維希政權下的法蘭西國(État français)鑄造並發行的2法郎鋁幣。

鋁幣的正面是維希政權領袖，菲利普·貝當(Philippe Pétain)元帥的個人徽章，出現在許多與維希政府有關的產物上。中央為雙刃斧，斧柄上有十個五角星符號。柄頭上有拉丁文「S PACIS」，涵義可能為「和平的象徵(Signum Pacis」或「和平的僕人」(Servus Pacis)，均符合當時維希法國將自身視為「秩序的維持者」的宣傳。雙刃斧與五角星符號意義皆不明確，雙刃斧在現代多用以表示某種法西斯主義。雙刃斧的兩側下方各有一束麥穗，下方環繞法文「ÉTAT FRANÇAIS」，即「法蘭西國」。左上小字「C」為卡斯泰爾薩拉桑鑄幣廠的標記。右上交疊的「LB」為呂西安·喬治·巴佐爾(Lucien Georges Bazor)的署名，其為公元1930 年至 1958 年巴黎鑄幣廠的首席雕刻師。

鋁幣的背面中央為幣值「2」，下方「Francs」為「法郎」，「1944」為發行年，幣值兩側有著橡葉，象徵力量、智慧、英勇與榮耀。上方環繞著法文「·TRAVAIL·FAMILLE··PATRIE·」，即「工作、家庭、祖國」。該口號於20世紀初起，便長期作為法國右翼政黨、團體的座右銘。貝當於維希政權執政時，宣揚國家革命，以法團主義取代資本主義與社會主義，並以口號此取代共和國的「自由、平等、博愛」政綱。「1944」右方單翼符號為前述呂西安·巴佐爾的標記，左方的豐裕之角(Cornucopia)為巴黎鑄幣場的標記。

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。

菲利普·貝當(生卒年公元1856至1951年)是法國軍事將領和政治人物，在第一次世界大戰期間因指揮凡爾登戰役而獲得「凡爾登英雄」的稱號。然而，在第二次世界大戰期間，他的歷史角色發生重大轉變。公元1940年，法國在德國的閃電戰攻勢下迅速戰敗，貝當被任命為法國政府首腦，並代表法國與納粹德國簽署《貢比涅停戰協定》，接受德國的佔領條件。

停戰協定生效後，法國北部與大西洋沿岸地區由德國軍事佔領，而南部則由貝當領導的新政府統治，這個政府即為「維希政權」(État français, 或Vichy France)，因其首都設於維希(Vichy)而得名。維希政府保留了一定程度的自主權，但實際上是德國的傀儡政權。貝當以「國家革命」(Révolution nationale)為口號，推行保守主義與專制政策，廢除法蘭西第三共和的自由民主制度，強調傳統家庭價值、宗教信仰及反共立場。該政權與納粹德國密切合作，包括遣送猶太人至納粹集中營，並提供法國的勞力與資源支持德國戰爭機器。

公元1942年11月，德軍發動「安東行動」(Case Anton)，全面佔領維希政府控制的南法地區，使維希政權喪失了僅存的自主權。公元1944年盟軍登陸法國後，維希政府逐漸瓦解，貝當被德軍帶往德國，後於公元1945年投降並被引渡回法國。戰後，貝當因與納粹合作被以叛國罪審判，最終被判處死刑，但因其高齡及過去軍事貢獻，戴高樂總統將刑罰改為無期徒刑。他被關押於耶烏監獄(Île d’Yeu)直至公元1951年逝世，留下毀譽參半的歷史評價。