France 1808-M 2 francs

Stack's Bowers 2025 NYINC sale, lot 34147

This specimen was lot 34147 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $3,600. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 2 Francs, 1808-M. Toulouse Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS AU-58. A SCARCE and wholesome representative, this near-Mint example offers some alluring carnival glass iridescence and stands as the only specimen of the mint and date in the PCGS census. From the Richard Margolis Collection." The "bare head" two francs (F.253) was struck 1807 only at Paris. The design of the bust was swiftly rejected by the Emperor on his return from campaign and changed to the laureate head (shown here) used 1807-1808. All the silver minors (quarter, half, one and two francs) were affected. In 1809, the reverse legend was changed from "REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE" to "EMPIRE FRANCAISE."

Recorded mintage: 27,758.

Specification: 10 g, 0.900 fine silver, 27 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: KM-684.6; Gad-500; F.254/9.

Source:

^[2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2025 NYINC Showcase Auction, featuring the Richard Margolis Collection, Part III, and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.

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France 1808-M 2 francs

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