France 1808-I 1/4 franc

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Heritage sale 3040, lot 29677
France H3040-29677r.jpg

This specimen was lot 29677 in Heritage sale 3040 (Chicago, April 2015), where it sold for $3,877.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Napoleon 1/4 Franc 1808-I MS63 NGC, Limoges mint. A small but incredibly intriguing selection, featuring the laureate head of Napoleon with outstanding patination displaying graphite centers surrounded by lustrous pinkish and golden hues. This type was only struck for two years at the mints of Paris ("A" mintmark, dates 1807 and 1808), Bayonne ("L" mintmark, only 1808), and Limoges ("I" mintmark, only 1808). The latter is the rarest and noted as such in Gadoury where a scant mintage of only 1,460 pieces is noted. Further research confirms the great rarity of this issue since the only other example publicly offered in recent years appears to be the much inferior VF example in the 11/2009 Maison Palombo auction. The latter piece is in all probability the only other currently certified example (VF NGC). The finest seen of this very scarce issue, extremely rare in this quality--quite possibly the finest known--and decidedly worthy of a premium bid." Quarter francs were minted in France steadily throughout Napoleon's reign but always in small quantities.

Recorded mintage: 1,460.

Specification: 1.25 g, 0.900 fine silver, 15 mm diameter, plain edge. Designed by Pierre-Joseph Tiolier (1763-1819).

Catalog reference: KM 678.2, F.161/3.

Sources:

  • 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.
  • Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
  • [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage Signature Auction 3040, featuring the Santa Maria, the Alan Dean and the Valley View Life Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2015.

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