France 1812-BB 5 francs
This specimen was lot 34107 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, 1812-BB. Strasbourg Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS MS-63. A few adjustment marks are noted, but this supremely appealing and elegantly Choice crown offers an immense degree of enticing flair to one's eyes. Subtle pastel iridescence dominates throughout, with a great deal of luster evident as well. Just two have been assessed higher in the PCGS census. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Wade Hinderling at Washington, D.C. INS on 12 September 1980 for $400)." Shown is a Napoleonic five francs struck at the Strasbourg mint in 1810-13. The various designs of Napoleonic five francs form eight distinct types of which this is the seventh, struck 1809-14 with a complete set of this type comprising 86 date and mintmark combinations, some very rare. This date is scarce for the type, being priced four times the common date (1811-A). It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in France after World War One.
Recorded mintage: 139,430[2].
Specification: 25 grams, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.
Catalog reference: Dav-85; Sobin-58; KM-694.3; Gad-584; F.307/43.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- 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.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
- [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.
Links to:
- 1811-BB 5 francs
- 1812-A ½ franc
- 1812-B ½ franc
- 1812-MA ½ franc
- 1812-T ½ franc
- 1812-flag ½ franc
- 1812-W demi-franc
- 1812-A franc
- 1812-B franc
- 1812-BB franc
- 1812-D franc
- 1812-I franc
- 1812-R franc
- 1812-W franc
- 1812-flag franc
- 1812-A 2 francs
- 1812-B 2 francs
- 1812-BB 2 francs
- 1812-H 2 francs
- 1812-I 2 francs
- 1812-L 2 francs
- 1812-MA 2 francs
- 1812-W 2 francs
- 1812-flag 2 francs
- 1812-A 5 francs
- 1812-B 5 francs
- 1812-D 5 francs
- 1812-H 5 francs
- 1812-I 5 francs
- 1812-K 5 francs
- 1812-L 5 francs
- 1812-M 5 francs
- 1812-MA 5 francs
- 1812-Q 5 francs
- 1812-R 5 francs
- 1812-T 5 francs
- 1812-U 5 francs
- 1812-W 5 francs
- 1812-flag 5 francs
- 1812-A 20 francs
- 1812-K 20 francs
- 1812-L 20 francs
- 1812-M 20 francs
- 1812-Q 20 francs
- 1812-R 20 francs
- 1812-U 20 francs
- 1812-W 20 francs
- 1812-A 40 francs
- 1812-W 40 francs
- 1813-BB 5 francs
- Coins and currency dated 1812