France 1808-M franc

Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71393

This specimen was lot 71393 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $384. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. Franc, 1808-M. Toulouse Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS EF-40. Though a bit of irregular darker coloring is noted, this handsome survivor remains enchantingly without issue. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired at the ANA in Boston on 22 August 1973 for $40)." This was struck at Toulouse under the régime of Napoleon as emperor. The type was struck 1807-08. However, despite being in production for little over a year, more were made (11.8 million) than of the subsequent type (F.205) minted 1809-14 (10.0 million). It was demonetized in 1869. The catalog^[2] notes 16 date-mintmark combinations for the type, some very rare.

Recorded mintage: 130,235^[2], a better date.

Specification: 5 g, 0.900 fine silver, 23 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: F.204/9, KM-682.9; Gad-446.

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.
^[2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
^[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.

Link to:

France 1808-M franc

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