The Variety of 1767 French Colonial Issues
In 1767, the Paris Mint struck a copper sou for use in France’s Caribbean colonies, commonly described as the French Antilles or French West Indies. Although it was not made for Canada or Louisiana as French possessions, examples later became associated with North American collecting and circulation through trade and later usage. Numismatists call this coin the French Colonies Sou. It carries the Paris “A” mintmark and was struck to supply small change to Caribbean markets that often lacked usable coinage.
At the time, older mixed-metal billon pieces were increasingly problematic. As silver values fluctuated and the economics of small denomination coinage tightened, billon coins could be hoarded, discounted, or simply fail to circulate smoothly. A larger, straightforward copper coin offered a more predictable alternative for everyday trade, with a value broadly aligned to the sou-based accounting familiar in French territories. In many numismatic references, the 1767 colonial issue is described as a “sou” or “sol” of 12 deniers, though some sources also discuss the coin in terms of a 9 deniers valuation used in certain colonial contexts.
Purpose and Colonial Circulation
The 1767 sou was struck in substantial quantity, with mintage figures commonly cited at roughly 1.6 million pieces. Even so, surviving examples represent only a fraction of the original production, and the coin’s actual circulation footprint was uneven. Some pieces reached Louisiana and parts of the Caribbean. Other islands accepted or rejected the coin at different times. Uneven acceptance highlights the gap between the coin’s intended role and local practice. Actual use depended on policy and public confidence in each colony.
For collectors in the United States, the coin also sits at an intersection between French colonial history and early American numismatics. It is frequently collected alongside American colonial issues because examples reached North America and remained present in commerce and accumulations long after the date on the coin, particularly in areas with strong French influence.
Design, Legends, and Identifying Features
The obverse design is one of the easiest ways to identify the type. At the center are two crossed scepters, symbols of authority often associated with royal justice and sovereignty. They are sometimes mistaken for crossed cannons at first glance, but the intent is ceremonial rather than military. Numismatic descriptions note that one scepter is topped with a fleur-de-lis, while the other may show the “hand of justice” motif, reinforcing the message of royal legitimacy.
The obverse legend reads COLONIES / FRANÇOISES / A / L. XV. It names the French colonies, refers to Louis XV, and shows the ‘A’ mintmark for Paris. The reverse features three fleurs-de-lis within a crowned wreath, a classic Bourbon emblem. Surrounding it is the Latin phrase “SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTUM”, commonly translated as “BLESSED IS THE NAME OF THE LORD”.
The “RF” Counterstamp and the Guadeloupe Episode
Collectors recognize two main varieties: the original strike and a later counterstamped version marked RF for République Française. References commonly report that in 1793 most 1767 sou pieces were counterstamped RF for République Française and released for renewed use in the French Caribbean, with some accounts specifically linking the action to Guadeloupe. The counterstamp updated a royal-era coin for circulation under the new republican authority.
The result is a historically layered artifact: a Louis XV colonial copper coin that later carried a Republic of France stamp. In many surviving examples, the oval RF counterstamp was applied over the reverse design, often over the fleur-de-lis area, and can noticeably flatten or obscure the original royal imagery. This underscores that this was a functional revalidation rather than a delicate collector-focused alteration.
