France 1823-A 20 francs
This specimen was lot 1097 in Jean Elsen sale 124 (Brussels, March 2015), where it sold for €750 (about US$935 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Louis XVIII, seconde restauration (1815-1824), AV 20 francs, 1823 A, Paris. Très Beau à Superbe. (France, Louis XVIII, second restoration (1815-24), gold twenty francs of 1823, Paris mint, very fine to extremely fine.)"
This issue, from the Paris mint, is one of a type struck during the reign of Louis XVIII from seven mints. Paris mint issues are reasonably common but the branch mint issues are generally rare. A complete set of this type (1816-24) comprises 34 date and mintmark combinations. Le Franc[2] estimates a total mintage of 12.7 million for the whole type. All gold twenty francs were officially recalled in 1928 but effectively ceased to circulate during World War I.
Recorded mintage: 12,354[2], a scarce date.
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM, Designed by August François Michaud, 1786-1879.
Catalog reference: Gad-1028; Fr-538, F.519/29, KM 712.1.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 124, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2015.
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