France 1820-Q 2 francs
This specimen was lot 942 in Jean Elsen sale 122 (Brussels, September 2014), where it sold for €220 (about US$337 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Louis XVIII, seconde restauration (1815-1824), AR 2 francs, 1820 Q, Perpignan. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XVIII, second restoration (1815-24), silver two francs of 1820, Perpignan mint, fine to very fine.)"
This type was struck during the reign of Louis XVIII of France (1815-24) from numerous mints. The specimen shown is from Perpignan and is a rare date. It is priced[2] about triple the commonest date (1824A), even in Good. One example (not the one shown) is reported in Gem Uncirculated. 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: 46,923[2].
Specification: 27 mm diameter, 10 grams, 0.900 fine silver, .289 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: KM-710.10; Gad-513, F.257/31.
- 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.
- [2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [1]Philippe Elsen et al., Vente Publique 122: Collection de monnaies chinoises, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S. A., 2014.
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