France AN14-M 5 francs

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Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71283
SB925-71283r.jpg

This specimen was lot 71283 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $780. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, Year 14-M (1805/6). Toulouse Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, Fine Details. Though this crown has seen both extensive circulation and some cleaning it nevertheless remains rather difficult to encounter, with Margolis writing that it is "...much rarer than the mintage would indicate; this is the first example I have seen." From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from CGF in 2000 for $240). Ex: Maurice Kolsky Collection (CGF VI - 1/2000) Lot # 2589." Shown is a Napoleonic five francs struck at the Toulouse 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 very 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 It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in France after World War One.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: 40,285[2], a very 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.303/24, KM-662.10; 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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