France 1866-BB 20 francs

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Sincona sale 69, lot 512

This specimen was lot 512 in Sincona sale 69 (Zürich, May 2021), where it sold for 525 CHF (about US$697 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANKREICH. II. Kaiserreich. Napoleon III. 1852-1870. 20 Francs 1866 BB, Strasbourg. PCGS MS64. Überdurchschnittliche Erhaltung. (France, second empire, Napoleon III, 1852-70, twenty francs of 1866, Strasbourg mint. Choice uncirculated, Extraordinary condition.)"

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", shown here) 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 After the collapse of Napoleon's empire during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, it was superseded by the "Génie" type of 1871-98. It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate after World War One.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: 6,862,213[2].

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

Catalog reference: F.532/14, Gadoury 1062. Fr-584.

Source:

  • 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.
  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
  • [2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
  • [1]Jürg Richter, Auction 69, World Coins and Medals, Bullion Auction and Chinese Banknotes, Part 1, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2021.

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