Franken Coin Guide: History of a Germanic Franc

Illustrated Specimen Details: Aluminium-bronze 10 Franken

Example Specimen: 10 franken, 1954 (Saar Protectorate)

Authority & Heraldry: The obverse features the inscription SAARLAND alongside the Coat of Arms of the Saar Protectorate. The crest is superimposed on an industrial background, representing the region's primary economic drivers: mining and metallurgy (highlighting large deposits of coal and minerals). The reverse bears the denomination ZEHN FRANKEN, 1954.

1. SAAR PROTECTORATE (1954-1955): 1 franken = 1 French franc

In addition to the Saarland coins, the franken denomination can also be found in the numismatic catalogs of some Swiss cantons and the German Kingdom of Westphalia in the 19th century, and even Liechtenstein in the 20th century. However, other sources regarding the mentioned coins indicate the denomination in "franc" or "frank" formats.

FRANKEN as coin name. During 1946-1956, the modern federal state of the Federal Republic of Germany Saar was under the protectorate of neighboring France. In the mentioned period, the Saar franc, equal in value to the French franc, was used as money in this territory (in fact, it was not an independent currency, but only a type of French monetary unit). 1954-1955 dated standard coins for circulation of the Saar Protectorate were 10, 20, 50 and 100 francs. Although these were formally French francs, they were denominated in German in the format "franken". Therefore, in world numismatics, these coins are represented by the coin denomination franken.

History and Economic Role of the Saar Franken

The franken was the German-language name used in the Saar Protectorate for the French franc during 1954-1955. Saarland was a French protectorate from 1947 to 1956, corresponding territorially to the modern German federal state of Saarland. Historically an area inhabited by ethnic Germans, the region came under strong French political and economic influence following World War II.

I would like to note that in numismatic catalogs you can find three variants of similar coin names: franc (French-speaking issuers), franken (German-speaking territories), and frank (Canton of Bern, Switzerland). However, the last version of writing is probably correct to be attributed to franken coins.

The monetary system was directly tied to France:

• 1 franken = 1 French franc

Postwar Restructuring and French Economic Control

The territory used the monetary system of France during the postwar period, meaning Saar monetary circulation was effectively tied to the French franc economy. The use of French currency in the Saar Protectorate symbolized French economic control, postwar European restructuring, and a strict separation from West German monetary systems. The franken served as the official circulation currency, postwar reconstruction money, and an economic integration tool linking Saar industry with France.

Physical Characteristics and Coinage

Because the Saar Protectorate used French francs, local coinage consisted mainly of circulating French issues minted in aluminum-bronze, copper-nickel, and aluminum. French designs commonly featured Marianne, French national symbols, and agricultural and republican motifs.

However, the specific Saar territorial coins (like the 10 franken) were explicitly minted at the Paris Mint (Monnaie de Paris). They bore specific mint marks, such as the "cornucopia" (mint mark) and the "wing" (the privy mark of Lucien Georges Bazor, Chief Engraver from 1930 to 1958). A total of 11,000,000 pieces of the 10 franken coin were produced.

Reintegration with Germany (1955-1956)

In 1955, a referendum was held to declare the region's independence, a proposal which the population strongly rejected. As a result, the Saar eventually reintegrated into Germany, and the territory later adopted the Deutsche Mark. The bilingual and politically contested nature of the Saar region — caught between German and French spheres of influence — is perfectly captured in the linguistic adaptation of "franc" to "franken".

Numismatic Perspective

Saar Protectorate monetary history is an important specialized field of European numismatics. The denomination demonstrates how political borders and economic systems can influence currency naming conventions in multilingual regions. Collectors especially value:

• Saar commemorative and territorial issues

• Occupation-era monetary material

• Transitional postwar currency items

The franken remains a fascinating reflection of Cold War and reconstruction-era politics, serving as a tangible artifact of the region’s postwar economic integration with France before its return to Germany.