Hello,

I have about 6 1943 Vichy 1 Franc coins. I've noticed in the SCWC (Krause/Mishler) that there is a separate listing for thick flan and thin flan. I've turned the coins on edge but don't feel that there are any completely obvious differences. Are they all the same? Or is the difference in flan thickness not completely obvious? Surely at least one of you has both varieties...? Can you provide an image that would demonstrate the difference?


I don't think that it has ever taken this long to get a response before,


Bruce Broker
Madison, WI

I checked my 1942-44 coins and it looks as if the planchet width may vary from about 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 millimeters. I would think demand or interest in this 'variety' would be minimal and therefore any extra value would be nil. Someone had a micrometer and way too much time on their hands.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the difference in flan thicknesses has nothing to do with how thick the coin is. The difference is in the thickness of the upturned "rim" edge of the coin. The normal variety, as with the other dates and other denominations, has a quite thick "rim", while the variety has a much thinner "rim".

Hmmm...I agree with tbirde56 that this is not a particularly interesting "variety". However, I think that a rim is a raised area of metal around the outer surface of the face of a coin or flan. Thus, a rim is a potential part of a flan, not synonymous with flan. Planchet appears to be somewhat synonymous with flan.

I have a 1942 Vichy Franc which is 1,9 mm thick and a 1944 Vichy Franc only 1,5 mm thick. When put together one can easily see the difference in thickness.