France 1808-BB 5 francs

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Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71290
SB925-71290r.jpg

This specimen was lot 71290 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $1,920. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, 1808-BB. Strasbourg Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, AU Details. Though some minor cleaning is noted, this crown has begun to reacquire color rather handsomely, all while very little in the way of circulation is observed. Margolis notes that "...this piece seems to be extremely rare in this condition." From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Alain Weil in Paris on 3 June 1993 for $413)." Silver five francs were minted throughout Napoleon's reign in large quantities using looted bullion. This design added a laurel wreath to Napoleon's bust. The 1808-A and 1808-B are the common mints for the year; the entire production run totaled about 9.4 million pieces. In 1809, the reverse was revised to read "EMPIRE FRANÇAISE".

Recorded mintage: 68,134[2], a scarce date.

Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: Dav-84; Sobin-57; F.306/4, KM-686.3; Gad-583.

Sources:

  • Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
  • [2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
  • George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
  • [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.

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