France 1858-A 20 francs
The first specimen was lot 430 in Classical Numismatic Group's sale of the Lissner Collection (Chicago, August 2014), where it sold for $514.25. The catalog description[2] noted, "FRANCE, Second Empire. Napoléon III. 1852-1870. AV 20 Francs à la tête neu. Paris mint; différents: hand and anchor. Désiré-Albert Barre, engraver general. Ch.-Louis Dierickx, director. Dated 1858 A. In NGC encapsulation graded MS 63. Brilliant uncirculated. Purchased from A. H. Baldwin & Sons, August 1971." The second specimen was lot 2464 in Sincona sale 51 (Zürich, October 2018), where it sold for 400 CHF (about US$483 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[3] noted,
"II. Kaiserreich. Napoleon III. 1852-1870. 20 Francs 1858 A, Paris. PLATIN. 6.22 g. Anm. Schl. 284. Gutes sehr schön. Vergoldet. (Second empire of France, Napoleon III, 1852-70, twenty francs of 1858, Paris mint, platinum fake. Good very fine, Gilded.)"
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. It was also the victim of an interesting counterfeit made from gold plated platinum (see second specimen).
Recorded mintage: 16,971,886[1].
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, designed by Jacques-Jean Barré; this specimen Ø21 mm, 6.47 g, 6h axis.
Catalog reference: VG 1061; KM 781.1; Gadoury 1061, Friedberg 573, F.531/13.
- 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.
- [2]Teller, M. Louis, and Victor England, Jr., The Richard Lissner Collection, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, 2014.
- [3]Richter, Jürg, Sincona Auction 51: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals; Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2018.
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