Bust of the Republic as Ceres, left, wearing a composite wreath of wheat, oak leaves, flowers and olive leaves, her hair tied in a coiled braid behind her head, wearing a pearl necklace and an earring., Denomination and date within an oak wreath; mint letter below., Pattern of the 50 Centimes coin of the highest rarity, with incomplete date. Bearing the torch mint mark of Patey, who was in charge of the Monnaie de Paris from 1896, these coins were presumably preparatory patterns for the circulating coins of 1896, but these were never issued and only these patterns have survived. Superb iridescent patina. This example seems to have some wear suggesting that it was in circulation, which is very curious. GEM 80.1; Mazard 2132; VG 4240 (1895).