France 1838-W 5 francs
This specimen was lot 74537 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $552. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. 5 Francs, 1838-W. Lille Mint. Louis Philippe I. NGC MS-63. Older portrait type. Delicate ash gray toning with sterling underlying 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 Lille mint, is common. A complete set of this middle sub-type (1832-43) comprises 105 date and mintmark combinations, some quite scarce. All silver five francs were officially recalled in 1928 but ceased to circulate after World War I. This coin was legal tender in the United States until 1857 at a value of 93 cents.
Recorded mintage: 4,718,532, common.
Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Joseph François Domard, 1792-1858.
Catalog reference: F.324/75, Dav-91; KM-749.13; Gad-678.
- 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.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The November 2022 Collectors Choice Ancient & World Coins Auction, Featuring the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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