FRANCE - FRANCE IIIe République (1870-1940). 2 francs Cérès, Flan bruni (PROOF) 1889, A, Paris. Av. RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE. Head of the Republic on the left in Cérès, under a star; below signature E. A. OUDINÉ. F. Rv. FREEDOM. EQUALITY. FRATERNITY. Within a crown formed of two branches: 2 FRANCS (date); below (different) (workshop) (different). G.530a - F.265 ; Silver - 10.02 g - 27 mm - 6 h PCGS PR64 (55951641). Very rare with 100 examples struck in burnished blank (PROOF). Only minor handling marks and micro-scratches. With a collector's patina with bluish highlights. Almost corner flower. For the strikes of 1889, the archives are missing and the only available information is given by E. Dewamin (vol. 2, p.327 and note 4). The Monnaie de Paris's participation in the 1889 exhibition enabled it to strike monetiform tokens by A. Borrel in front of the public, using a steam balance. Another coin press was on display, but the 1889 coins were certainly struck at the Monnaie de Paris and not at the Exhibition.