France 1852-A franc

Ponterio sale 168, lot 40514

photo courtesy Stack's Bowers

from the Mountain Groan Collection

The silver francs of Napoleon III (1852-70) were issued in respectable quantities and this date is common. The catalog^[1] notes that this type was issued from the Paris mint only. All 0.900 fine silver francs were officially recalled in 1869 but ceased to circulate after World War I. The first specimen was lot 40514 in Ponterio sale 168 (Philadelphia, August 2012), where it sold for $1,469. The catalog description^[4] noted, "FRANCE. Franc, 1852-A. NGC MS-66. Highly lustrous and attractively toned with vibrant blue highlights around legends."

Specification: 23 mm diameter, 5 grams, 0.900 fine silver, reeded edge. Designed by Jean-Jacques Barré, 1793-1855.

Mintage: 1,015,084^[1].

Catalog reference: F.212/1, KM 772, Gad-458.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
• ^[4]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 168: The Official ANA Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2012.

Link to:

• 1849-A 5 francs
• 1852-A 50 centimes
• 1852-A 5 francs
• 1852-BB 5 francs
• 1852-A 20 francs d'or
• 1853-A franc
• Coins and currency dated 1852