20 years ago, France said goodbye to the franc

Round, shiny, in nickel or sometimes in silver, franc coins are still remembered. “I was given ten francs, and I could buy myself ten francs worth of sweets, for me and my three brothers”remembers a passer-by, questioned by the teams of France Télévisions.

Twenty years ago, the changeover to the euro was celebrated by millions of Europeans. However, the single currency had a difficult start. The French had to learn to convert constantly, since one euro was equivalent to 6.56 francs. Today, the franc arouses the enthusiasm of collectors. If some coins are very expensive, not all have the same value, explains Patrick Merson, retired and founder of the Merson exchange office. In 2022, there would remain nearly 110 million francs, forgotten in drawers.