France 1813-MA 5 francs

Stack's Bowers 2025 NYINC sale, lot 34117

This specimen was lot 34117 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $900. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, 1813-MA. Marseille Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS AU-58. Pleasingly toned and exceptionally original, this very lightly handled crown stands as the sole representative of the date and mint in the PCGS census. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Spink & Son for $398). Ex: Mantegazza Collection (Spink & Son) Lot # 1713." Shown is a Napoleonic five francs struck at the Marseille mint in 1809-14. 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 fairly common for the type, being priced about double the common date (1811-A). It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate after World War One.

Recorded mintage: 833,648^[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-694.11; Gad-584; F.307/69.

Source:

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.

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France 1813-MA 5 francs

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