France 1838-B 5 francs
This specimen was lot 73654 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2022), where it sold for $192. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. 5 Francs, 1838-B. Rouen Mint. Louis Philippe I. NGC AU-58. Delicately circulated, this crown still displays nearly full details along with a strong compliment of luster." The silver five francs of Louis Philippe (1830-48) of France were issued in massive quantities from numerous mints. Le Franc[2] estimates a total of 335 million were made, counting all sub-types. This issue, from the Rouen mint, is common. A complete set of this middle sub-type (1832-43) comprises 105 date and mintmark combinations, some quite scarce. It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in France after World War One.
Recorded mintage: 4,001,143[2].
Specification: 37 mm diameter, 25 grams, 0.900 fine silver, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Joseph François Domard, 1792-1858.
Catalog reference: F.324/70, Dav-91; KM-749.2. Gad-678a.
- 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.
- [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, The February 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins, Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
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