France 1792-W 2 sols

Jean Elsen sale 121, lot 1179

This specimen was lot 1179 in Jean Elsen sale 121 (Brussels, June 2014), where it did not sell. The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Constitution (1791-1792), Métal de cloche 2 sols, 1792 W, an 4, Lille. Type FRANCOIS. Droit: B. drapé à gauche. Revers: Faisceau dans une couronne de chêne. Frappe faible sur la tranche. Petites taches. Très Beau à Superbe. (kingdom of France, constitutional period (1791-92), bell metal double sou of 1792, Lille mint, FRANCOIS legend. Obverse: draped bust to right; reverse: fasces within an oak wreath. Slightly weak strike, some marks, very fine to extremely fine.)"

This coin was minted at Lille, France, during the throes of the Revolution. The temporary mints Arras and St.-Omer also used the "W" mint mark. 1793 was the year the king was tried and executed. Amid the chaos, large quantities of these copper two sols were issued, along with six and twelve deniers (half and one sols). The 1791-93 issues bear the bust of the king but his ouster forced the removal of his portrait. This type was hurriedly and crudely made and is rarely found better than VG.

Recorded mintage: unknown but fairly common; Arras and St-Omer are scarce.

Specification: 24.47 g, bronze or metal du cloche, this specimen 21,27 g.

Catalog reference: KM 603.16, Dupl., 1722; Gad-25.

Source:

Ciani, Louis, Les Monnaies Royales Françaises de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI, avec indication de leur valuer actuelle, Paris, 1926 (reprinted in Barcelona, 1965).
Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
^[1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 121, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2014.

Link to:

France 1792-W 2 sols

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