If you travel to France these days, you’ll be dealing in European currency rather than French currency. That’s been the case since 2000, when the country adopted the euro as its official currency.
While the franc remains the official currency of 25 states or autonomous territories, according to the American Numismatic Society, the switch to the euro essentially ended a centuries-long era of French coins and notes. If you’re lucky enough to come across the right coin, you could become nearly half-a-million dollars richer.
