France 2 Sols 1738 to 1764

Good work, Ruthie. Your coin is from France, just as you suspect. It is a 2 sols piece often known as a 'sou' or 'sou marque.' These are small, low-value coins made out of billon which is a mixture of silver and other metals, usually copper. The silver content varied, but was often around 15-20%. Well preserved coins often look silvery, while very circulated coins can take on a coppery appearance.

Even though these are old, they are not especially rare. Over 8 million of the 1739 date were made. Many were exported from France to Canada and Louisiana, which were at the time territories of the French Crown.

The catalogs list values are follows:

worn: $3 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $14
well preserved: $35
fully uncirculated: $80

Coins dated 1738E and 1745E are slightly scarce and catalog around $20 in average circulated condition.

Coins dated 1739W are very common, and they values rarely reach $2 when worn, and stay around $20 even when well preserved.

Coins dated 1762BB are common and catalog at $10 when average circulated.

The coin in our picture is well preserved. These are catalog values. Use our Important Terminology page to understand what 'catalog' means in this context.

CoinQuest thanks Louis Jordan at Notre Dame University for the use of this great coin image. If you click on this link you can learn much about this interesting coin and its history.
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