France 1852-BB 5 francs
This specimen was lot 74703 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2024), where it sold for $720. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. 5 Francs, 1852-BB. Strasbourg Mint. Napoleon (as President). PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, AU Details. Rather attractive despite the past cleaning with deep blue and rose tones appearing on both sides. From the Richard Margolis Collection." The silver five francs of Napoleon III (1852-70) were issued in massive quantities and this date is the most common. Le Franc[1] notes that this type was issued from the Paris mint (common) and the Strasbourg mint (shown here). No écu dated 1853 is known to exist other than a few patterns, so it is probable that the recorded production in that year is of 1852-dated coins. There is also a rare variety of the 1852-A where the engraver's signature is shown as "J.J.BARRE". 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: 41,321.
Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, edge lettered "DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE ***", designed by Jean-Jacques Barré (1793-1855).
Catalog reference: F.329/3, KM-773.2; Gad-726, Dav-94.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
- Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, October 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the S.P. Rutherford Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
Link to: