10 francs FRANCE (1983) Balloon Conquest of the Skies

below coin centre in two lines face value: 10 / FRANCS; above a balloon gondola with brothers Montgolfier holding Colours; along the left edge: RÉPUBLIQUE, along the right: FRANÇAISE (French Republic); along the bottom edge year of issue 1983

in the coin centre balloon "Réveillon" takes off among cheering crowd; along the top edge: CONQVÊTE DE L'ESPACE (conquest of the skies), along the bottom edge date 1783

plain with concave inscription: LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ (motto of France - liberty, equality, fraternity) divided by olive branch, laurel branch and cereal ear

???  no data

1 VII 1993

Daniel Ponce (signature D.PONCE before date 1783 along the bottom edge of the obverse)

La Monnaie de Paris (The Paris Mint), Pessac (mint mark before year of issue 1983 in the obverse, after year of issue privy mark of mint's director Émile Rousseau - dolphin)

1983

2 984 411

+ 16 561 in annual boxed sets

The commemorative coin of 10 francs from 1983 commemorates the 200th anniversary of balloons flights. 1783 was a year of huge technological leap in the construction of balloons. The first balloon constructed by French brothers Mongolfier was presented in June 1783 and took off to the height of more than a kilometre. On October 15 in Paris the first manned flight took place, when the tethered Mongolfier balloon flew to a height of 26 meters. On November 21, 1783 the balloon "Réveillon" constructed by Jean-François Pilatre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes held the first ever free journey. The flight lasted for 25 minutes and the balloon travelled 8 km.


photo licence: CC-BY-SA 3.0