FRANCE - FRANCE Third Republic (1870-1940). 50 francs Génie, Flan bruni (PROOF) 1889, A, Paris. FRENCH REPUBLIC. Winged genie of the Republic standing right, engraving the word CONSTITUTION on a table, flanked by a bundle and a rooster; in the exergue: signatures A.B. and Dupré. Rv. LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ. Within an oak wreath: 50 FRANCS (date); below (different) (workshop) (different). G.1113 - F.549 - Fr.591 ; Gold - 16,11 g - 28 mm - 6 h This is the second highest grade! NGC PF 62 (8524344-006). Burnished blank (PROOF). Beautifully bright, with a marked cameo appearance. Only tiny bag marks and the velvet barely touched on the high points of the relief. Superb at Fleur de coin. For the 1889 strikes, the archives are missing and the only information available 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.