France 1863-BB 20 francs
This specimen was lot 70510 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, May 2018), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. 20 Francs, 1863-BB. Sharply struck with soft satin luster." This specimen is a common date of a series struck 1861-70 during the régime of Napoleon III. All 85 million were struck at the Paris (mintmark "A") and Strasbourg (mintmark "BB") mints. All dates are readily available altho gems are scarce. This type is commonly called the "Laureate head." After the collapse of Napoleon's empire during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, it was superseded by the "Génie" type of 1871-98. It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate after World War One.
Recorded mintage: 3,752,567, a slightly better date.
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, designed by Albert Désiré Barré (1818-1878).
Catalog reference: Gad-1062; Fr-585. F.532/7, KM 801.2.
- 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.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 116, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2013.
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