France 1808-M 20 francs

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Jean Elsen sale 143, lot 1683

This specimen was lot 1683 in Jean Elsen sale 143 (Brussels, December 2019), where it sold for €320 (about US$418 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Napoléon Ier (1804-1814), AV 20 francs, 1808M, Toulouse. Rare. Beau à Très Beau. (empire of France, Napoleon I, 1804-14. gold twenty francs of 1808, Toulouse mint. Rare, Fine - Very Fine.)"

This issue, from the Toulouse mint, is a scarce date of a type struck 1807-08 only. After the year 14, the revolutionary calendar was dropped in favor of the traditional Gregorian calendar. The twenty francs of Napoleon are divided into seven types, of which this is the sixth. Soon after, "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" was changed to "EMPIRE FRANÇAIS" (F.516). It was demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate during World War One. A complete set of this type comprises seven date and mintmark combinations. The entire production run totaled about 1.7 million pieces.

Reported Mintage: 22,147.

Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier.

Catalog reference: Fr-501; KM-687.3; Gad-1024, F.515/4.

Source:

  • Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
  • 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.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, Vente Publique 143, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2019.

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