France L'AN 9-K 5 francs
This specimen was part of lot 71326 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), which sold for $439.20. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Directory—Consulate. Quartet of 5 Francs (4 Pieces), Years 7-9 (1798-1801). Average Grade: VERY FINE Details. Cleaned. 1) Year 7-L (1798/9), Bayonne. 24.85 g. 2) Year 8-K (1799/1800), Bordeaux. 24.56 g. 3) Year 8-Q (1799/1800), Perpignan. 24.97 g. 4) Year 9-K (1800/1), Bordeaux. SOLD AS IS/NO RETURNS. From the Richard Margolis Collection." This specimen shown was struck at the Bayonne mint during the French Consulate (1799-1804) and was meant to replace the écu of the ancien régime after the execution of king Louis XVI. The Gregorian calendar was replaced by the revolutionary calendar. Year 9, shown here, comprised September 1800 thru September 1801. This "Hercules" type was struck until year 11 (1802-03) from numerous mints, tho only Paris is known for year 4. Le Franc[2] has reanalyzed the type, assigning it catalog numbers 287 thru 300, depending on the position of the obverse legend ("UNION ET FORCE"), the details of the oak wreath on the reverse and so forth. As each die was hand made, the varieties are as numerous as those of United States bust half dollars or early large cents. Overdates and repunched mintmarks and privy marks are common (An "AN 9/6" overdate is recorded for this mint). The type was produced in the millions and is not rare in low grades but the price ascends rapidly with grade.
Recorded mintage: 27,964, including F.287/58 (L'AN 9/6), a better date.
Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, edge lettered GARANTIE NATIONALE, designed by Augustin Dupré (1748-1833). This specimen 24.73 g.
Catalog reference: Dav-81, F.287/57; KM-639.6; Dav-1337; Gad-563.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction - Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, the Richard Margolis Collection and the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2026.
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