France 1857-A 20 francs

Ponterio sale 168, lot 50108

photo courtesy Stack's-Bowers LLC

from the Mountain Groan Collection

The first specimen was lot 50108 in Ponterio sale 168 (Philadelphia, August 2012), where it sold for $974. The catalog description^[2] noted, "FRANCE. 20 Franc, 1857-A. PCGS MS-65." This type is one of the most common gold coins in existence (146 million minted 1853-60) yet is very difficult to assemble in choice condition.

Recorded mintage: 19,208,790.

Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, designed by Jacques-Jean Barré.

Catalog reference: Fr-573; KM-781.1; Gad-1061, F.531/12.

Sources:

• Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2013.
• ^[2]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 168: The Official ANA Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2012.

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• 1857-A 10 centimes
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• 1857-A gold 5 francs
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