France 1878-A 10 francs
This specimen was lot 1983 in Jean Elsen sale 160 (Brussels, November 2024), where it sold for €22,000 (about US$27,852 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Troisième République (1871-1940), AV 10 francs, 1878 A, Paris. Type Cérès. Tranche cannelée. De la plus haute rareté. Fines griffes sur la joue. Seulement 30 exemplaires frappés à l'occasion de l'Exposition universelle de Paris. Flan poli. (France, Third Republic, 1871-1940. gold ten francs of 1878, Paris mint, Cérès head, reeded edge. Extremely rare, hairlines, only thirty pieces struck for the Exposition of 1878. Proof.)"
This diminutive coin is a rare gold piece of the modern French series. Thirty pieces were struck for the Universal Exposition of 1878 and one hundred more for the Universal Exposition of 1889. All are proofs and none were issued for circulation. More were issued for circulation in 1896 and 1899; these are readily available for collectors.
Recorded mintage: 30[2].
Specification: 3.226 g, 0.900 fine gold, 19 mm diameter, reeded edge, designed by Louis Merley (1815-1883).
Catalog reference: F.508/1, KM 830, Gad-1016; Fr-593.
- 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.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 160, Collection de deniers liegeois et Collection de monnaies d'or francaises, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.
- [2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
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