France 1813-CL 5 francs
This specimen was lot 43376 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $8,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, 1813-CL. Genoa Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS AU-50. Mintage: The finest of just three observed in the PCGS census, this Genoese product offers a gunmetal gray nature and subtle iridescence, all while very little evidence of circulation is present. A fairly RARE and difficult type. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Elmen in 1987 for $875). Ex: World-Wide Coins of California [James Elmen] XI (5/1987) Lot # 198." This issue, from the Genoa mint, is a rare date of a type struck 1809-15. The Genoa mint which operated as a French branch mint 1813-14 only, striking half, one, two, five, twenty and forty franc pieces, all rare. This type succeeded the "REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE" reverse struck 1807-08. A complete set of this type comprises 95 date and mintmark combinations, some very rare. The entire production run totaled about 128 million pieces. All silver five francs were officially recalled in 1928 but ceased to circulate after World War I. This coin was legal tender in the United States until 1857 at a value of 93 cents.
Recorded mintage: 13,552.
Specification: 25 g, 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-694.4; Gad-584; F.307/61.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- 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.
- 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, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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- 1812-A 5 francs
- 1812-B 5 francs
- 1812-BB 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
- 1813-A ½ franc
- 1813-D ½ franc
- 1813-M ½ franc
- 1813-flag ½ franc
- 1813-A franc
- 1813-B franc
- 1813-CL franc
- 1813-K franc
- 1813-L franc
- 1813-MA franc
- 1813-Q franc
- 1813-T franc
- 1813-U franc
- 1813-W franc
- 1813-flag franc
- 1813-A 2 francs
- 1813-B 2 francs
- 1813-CL 2 francs
- 1813-I 2 francs
- 1813-K 2 francs
- 1813-M 2 francs
- 1813-T 2 francs
- 1813-W 2 francs
- 1813-A 5 francs
- 1813-B 5 francs
- 1813-BB 5 francs
- 1813-D 5 francs
- 1813-H 5 francs
- 1813-I 5 francs
- 1813-K 5 francs
- 1813-L 5 francs
- 1813-M 5 francs
- 1813-MA 5 francs
- 1813-Q 5 francs
- 1813-R 5 francs
- 1813-T 5 francs
- 1813-U 5 francs
- 1813-W 5 francs
- 1813-flag 5 francs
- 1813-A 20 francs
- 1813-CL 20 francs
- 1813-K 20 francs
- 1813-L 20 francs
- 1813-Q 20 francs
- 1813-R 20 francs
- 1813-W 20 francs
- 1813-flag 20 francs
- 1813-A 40 francs
- 1813-CL 40 francs
- 1814-B 5 francs, Napoleon
- 1814-MA 5 francs, Napoleon
- 1814-MA 5 francs, Louis XVIII
- 1814-Q 5 francs, Napoleon
- Coins and currency dated 1813