France AN14-I 5 francs

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Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71282
SB925-71282r.jpg

This specimen was lot 71282 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $840. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, Year 14-I (1805/6). Limoges Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, EF Details. Despite its noted cleaning, this SCARCE crown offers a charming appearance with some pleasing color beginning to reappear. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Platt in 1983 for $438). Ex: "Collection D." (Maison Platt - 5/1983) Lot # 160." Shown is a Napoleonic five francs struck at the Limoges mint in 1804-05. It is a somewhat common type struck two years only. The various designs of Napoleonic five francs form eight distinct types of which this is the third, struck 1804-06 (An 13-14) with a complete set of this type comprising 22 date and mintmark combinations, some very rare. This date is scarce for the type, being priced multiples of the common date (An 13-A). It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in France after World War One.

Recorded mintage: 11,511[2], a scarce date.

Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Nicholas Brenet, 1770-1846, and Jean-Pierre Droz, 1746-1823.

Catalog reference: Dav-83; Sobin-55; F.303/21, KM-662.7; Gad-580.

Sources:

  • Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
  • 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.
  • George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
  • [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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