France L'AN5-D decime
The first specimen was lot 43260 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $1,920. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Directory. Bronze Décime, Year 5-D (1796/7). Lyon Mint. PCGS MS-65 Brown. Displaying a hint of the undertype in front of Marianne's nose, this stunning Gem radiates with tremendous appeal and flair, all while even brown surfaces and its great pedigree elevate its resounding appearance that much more. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Burgan in 1997 for $441.50). Ex: Victor Gadoury Collection (Claude Burgan - 5/1997) Lot # 909." The numismatics of the bronze coinage of the First Republic of France is complex. For the five centimes, the first issue (An 4-5) was 5 g, 23 mm diameter and was immediately rejected by the populace along with the 10 g décime (10 centimes) and the 20 g double décime (20 centimes). During An 5, the government tried again with larger coins, increasing the 5 centimes to 10 g and the décime to 20 g and abandoning the double décime. The revised types met with some success and they were issued in substantial numbers until An 9. Leftover stocks of light weight décimes were overstruck into five centimes and double décimes converted into décimes (see the second specimen). During An 5, this type was struck at Paris ("A"), Metz ("AA"), Rouen ("B"), Strasbourg ("BB"), Lyon ("D", shown here), Limoges ("I"), Bordeaux ("K"), Orléans ("R"), Nantes ("T") and Lille ("W"). Paris produced the majority. In all, about 98 million were produced for the type. They circulated until the 1850's and today few are found in Very Fine or better. This date is common. The feature which the auctioneers call "a hint of the undertype" is more likely die clash.
The second specimen was part of lot 71329 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), which sold for $390.40. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Directory. Trio of Decimes (3 Pieces), Years 5 & 6 (1796-98). Grade Range: FINE to VERY FINE. 1) Year 5-A. Paris. 19.41 g. VERY FINE. Overstruck. 2) Year 6/5-A Paris. 19.58 g. VERY GOOD. Overstruck. 3) Year 6/5-D. Lyon. FINE. SOLD AS IS/NO RETURNS. From the Richard Margolis Collection." There are unconfirmed reports that the Lyon mint struck décimes to the small module (KM 637.4). Despite the auctioneer's description, none are known dated year 6. The dies for this issue were recycled extensively, resulting in a plethora of overdates and repunched mintmarks.
Recorded mintage: 4,746,616 plus 78,951 struck over double décimes (F.128/8).
Specification: 20 g, copper, 32 mm diameter, decorated edge.
Catalog reference: F.128/8 (struck over double décimes), KM 645.5 (struck over double décimes), KM-644.5 (struck on new blanks); Gad-187; F.129/12 (struck on new blanks).
- 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.
- Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
- [2]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.
Link to:
- L'AN 4-A décime (small module)
- AN 4-A décime (counterstamped)
- AN 4-D décime
- AN 4-K décime
- L'AN 4-A 2 décimes
- France L'AN 5 centime pattern
- L'AN 5-A large 5 centimes
- L'AN 5-AA 5 centimes
- L'AN 5-B 5 centimes
- L'AN 5-BB large 5 centimes, restruck over un décime
- L'AN 5-I small 5 centimes
- L'AN 5-I large 5 centimes
- L'AN 5-R large 5 centimes
- L'AN 5-T large 5 centimes, restruck over un décime
- L'AN 5-W large 5 centimes
- L'AN 5-A décime
- L'AN 5-AA décime, restruck over 2 décimes
- L'AN 5-B décime
- L'AN 5-BB décime
- L'AN 5-I décime
- L'AN 5-R décime
- L'AN 5-W décime
- L'AN 5-A 5 francs
- L'AN 5-BB 5 francs
- L'AN 5-K 5 francs
- L'AN 5-Q 5 francs
- L'AN 5-T 5 francs
- L'AN 7-A décime
- L'AN 7-D décime
- L'AN 7-BB décime
- L'AN 7-K décime
- L'AN 7-W décime
- Coins and currency dated 1796