France 1856-A 5 francs
The silver five francs of Napoleon III (1852-70) were issued in massive quantities. This "bare head" issue, from the Paris mint, is not so common. 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.
The catalog[1] notes that this type comprises 11 date and mintmark combinations, some very rare. This date is the common date which, in turn, is priced about three and a half times the very common "laureate head" type (1861-70).
Specification: 37 mm diameter, 25 grams, 0.900 fine silver, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Louis Charles Bouvet, 1802-1887.
Mintage: 4,678,445[1].
Catalog reference: F.330/6, KM 785.1, Dav-95.
- [2]Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- [1]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
Link to:
- 1855-BB 5 francs
- 1856-BB centime
- 1856-K centime
- 1856-W centime
- 1856-B 2 centimes
- 1856-K 2 centimes
- 1856-MA 2 centimes
- 1856-A 5 centimes
- 1856-BB 5 centimes
- 1856-MA 5 centimes
- 1856-W 5 centimes
- 1856-B 10 centimes
- 1856-A 20 centimes
- 1856-BB 20 centimes
- 1856-A 50 centimes
- 1856-D 50 centimes
- 1856-A 2 francs
- 1856-A gold 5 francs
- 1856-D silver 5 francs
- 1856-A 10 francs
- 1856-A 20 francs
- 1856-BB 20 francs
- 1856-A 50 francs
- 1856-A 100 francs
- 1857-A 5 francs
- Coins and currency dated 1856