France 1851-A 20 francs
The first specimen was lot 409 in Classical Numismatic Group's sale of the Lissner Collection (Chicago, August 2014), where it sold for $24,200. The catalog description[2] noted, "FRANCE, Deuxième République. 1848-1852. Proof AV 20 Francs. Ceres type. Paris mint; différents: hand and dog’s head. Jacques-Jean Barre, engraver general. CH.-Louis Dierickx, director. Dated 1851 A. In NGC encapsulation graded PF 68 Star. Gem proof plus. The highest graded 20 Francs from the time of Napoleon I to 1914." This type, issued during the Second Republic, was minted at Paris only during 1849-51. It was superseded by the twenty francs "Louis-Napoleon". There is also a rather scarce gold ten francs struck 1850-51 featuring the same bust of Cérès.
Recorded mintage: 13,172,285[1].
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, designed by Louis Merley (1815-83); the first specimen Ø21 mm, 6.44 g, 6h axis.
Catalog reference: Cf. VG 1059 (for business strike); KM 762; cf. Friedberg 566 (same), F.529/4.
- 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.
- 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.
- [1]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [2]Teller, M. Louis, and Victor England, Jr., The Richard Lissner Collection, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, 2014.
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