France AN12-I 1/2 franc KM-655.6

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Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71409
SB925-71409r.jpg

This specimen was lot 71409 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $504. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. Demi Franc (1/2 Franc), Year 12-I (1803/4). Limoges Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS AU-53. Surpassed in the PCGS census by just two others, this near-Mint minor offers great brilliance paired with a fairly deep cabinet tone. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Franceschi in 1986 for $257). Ex: Druso Franceschi/Spink (10/1986) Lot # 912." Year 12 (1803-04) represents the first year all the silver and gold denominations appeared. This type was struck years 12-14 and the An 12-A, An 13-A, An 13-I and An 13-M are moderately common; the others are all scarce to very rare.

Recorded mintage: 21,742[2], a scarce date, plus 416,350 of the Premier Consul type (F.173/7).

Specification: 2.5 g, 0.900 fine silver, 18 mm diameter, reeded edge. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: F.174/5, KM-655.6; Gad-395.

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, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
  • [2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
  • [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.

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