FRENCH PROTECTORATE
An extremely rare – albeit cancelled – die
20 Francs 1930ce (1349ah) CuZn cf.KM 256 RRR f-vf It is quite possible that this particular die – made of 62% copper and 32% zinc, making the alloy softer than iron – was a type of forerunner to the actual die used to strike KM 256. Being much larger than the 20 francs coin itself – the face of the die is 5.5cm in diameter – the size of this forerunner undoubtedly facilitated the work of the engraver, presumably during the early phases of drafting the design. The engraver’s name is E. M. Landauer; his initials "EML" can be found on Lots # 267-271, 293-295, 298, 321a, 321g, and 321j.