France 1813-W franc

Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71406

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This specimen was lot 71406 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, 1813-W. Lille Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, EF Details. Seemingly a bit more attractive and enticing than the overall designation would indicate, this specimen presents some pleasing brilliance and almond-gray hues. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Poindessault & Védrines in 2009 for $585). Ex: Bernard Poindessault & Josiane Védrines PFL (Summer 2009). Ex: Palace Collections of Egypt [King Farouk] (Sotheby's - 3/1954)." This type of 1809-14 is the last and probably the most available Napoleonic franc. It was demonetized in 1869. A complete set of this type comprises 74 date and mintmark combinations, many very rare.

Recorded mintage: 82,958^[2], a fairly scarce date.

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

Catalog reference: F.205/72, KM-692.16; 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.

Link to:

France 1813-W franc

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