France 1810-BB franc

Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71398

This specimen was lot 71398 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $360. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. Franc, 1810-BB. Strasbourg Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, Fine Details. Though some cleaning and extensive circulation are observed, this minor stands as a difficult and SCARCE piece, as can be conveyed through its paltry mintage figure. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Lepczyk in March 1984 for $35). Ex: George Sobin Collection (Joseph Lepczyk - 3/1984) Lot # 1202 (part of)." This was struck at Strasbourg under the régime of Napoleon as emperor. The type was struck 1809-14. However, despite being in production for six years, more were made (11.8 million) of the previous type (F.204) than of this type (10.0 million). It was demonetized in 1869. The catalog^[2] notes 74 dates for the type, some very rare. This date is rare.

Recorded mintage: 4,330^[2], a rare date.

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

Catalog reference: F.205/14, KM-692.3; Gad-447.

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.

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France 1810-BB franc

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