France 1811-MA 2 francs
The first specimen was lot 3654 in Sincona sale 39 (Zürich, May 2017), where it sold for 400 CHF (about US$480 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE. Kaiserreich. Napoleon I. 1804-1815 2 Francs 1811 MA. Marseille. Sehr selten. Schön. (empire of France, Napoleon I, 1804-15, two francs of 1811, Marseille mint. Very rare. Fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 71227 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), where it sold for $1,464. The catalog description[3] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 2 Francs, 1811-MA. Marseille Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, EF Details. Though cleaned as noted, this lightly circulated minor nevertheless remains an important type from a lesser-seen mint. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Al Levine in 1969 for $22.50)." This type was struck 1809-14 during the reign of Napoleon I from numerous mints. The specimen shown is from Marseille. It is priced[2] about 21 times the commonest date (1811A) even in Good. Many issues of this type are known from a handful (<10) of examples. The type is not difficult to find but is expensive in high grade. All two francs issued prior to 1859, including this one, were demonetized in 1869 to make way for the succeeding issue which was only 0.835 fine.
Recorded mintage: 38,382, a very scarce date.
Specification: 27 mm diameter, 10 grams, 0.900 fine silver, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819. The first specimen 9.63 g.
Catalog reference: F.255/33, Gadoury 501, KM 693.11.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
- [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.
- [1]Jürg Richter, Auction 39, World coins and medals, coins and medals from Switzerland, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2017.
- [3]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction - Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, the Richard Margolis Collection and the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2026.
Link to:
- 1810-D 2 francs
- 1810-I 2 francs
- 1810-B 2 francs
- 1811-A ½ franc
- 1811-B ½ franc
- 1811-BB ½ franc
- 1811-D ½ franc
- 1811-H ½ franc
- 1811-I ½ franc
- 1811-K ½ franc
- 1811-L ½ franc
- 1811-MA ½ franc
- 1811-Q ½ franc
- 1811-T ½ franc
- 1811-U ½ franc
- 1811-W ½ franc
- 1811-A franc
- 1811-B franc
- 1811-BB franc
- 1811-D franc
- 1811-H franc
- 1811-I franc
- 1811-K franc
- 1811-L franc
- 1811-M franc
- 1811-MA franc
- 1811-T franc
- 1811-W franc
- 1811-A 2 francs
- 1811-B 2 francs
- 1811-I 2 francs
- 1811-L 2 francs
- 1811-M 2 francs
- 1811-Q 2 francs
- 1811-T 2 francs
- 1811-W 2 francs
- 1811-A 5 francs
- 1811-B 5 francs
- 1811-BB 5 francs
- 1811-D 5 francs
- 1811-H 5 francs
- 1811-I 5 francs
- 1811-K 5 francs
- 1811-L 5 francs
- 1811-MA 5 francs
- 1811-Q 5 francs
- 1811-T 5 francs
- 1811-W 5 francs
- 1811-A 20 francs d'or
- 1811-K 20 francs d'or
- 1811-M 20 francs d'or
- 1811-U 20 francs d'or
- 1811-W 20 francs
- 1811-A 40 francs d'or
- 1811-K 40 francs d'or
- 1812-A 2 francs
- 1812-B 2 francs
- 1812-BB 2 francs
- 1812-H 2 francs
- 1812-I 2 francs
- 1812-L 2 francs
- Coins and currency dated 1811