France AN14-D 5 francs

Stack's Bowers 2025 NYINC sale, lot 34076

This specimen was lot 34076 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, Year 14-D (1805/6). Lyon Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, VG Details. Even more RARE than its mintage figure would indicate, this example does display a great deal of wear as well as the noted cleaning, but provides a tremendous opportunity for a type that is no doubt missing from even the most advanced collections. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Numismatique et Change de Paris in Paris on 26 May 1972 for $92)." Shown is a Napoleonic five francs struck at the Lyon 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 rare for the type, being priced fifty times 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 It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in France after World War One.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: 3,866^[2].

Specification: 25 grams, 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; KM-662.4; Gad-580; F.303/19.

Source:

• Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 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, January 2025 NYINC Showcase Auction, featuring the Richard Margolis Collection, Part III, and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.

Links to:

• An 13-A 5 francs
• An 13-B 5 francs
• An 13-BB 5 francs
• An 13-D 5 francs
• An 13-G 5 francs
• An 13-H 5 francs
• An 13-I 5 francs
• An 13-K 5 francs
• An 13-L 5 francs
• An 13-M 5 francs
• An 13-Q 5 francs
• An 13-T 5 francs
• An 13-U 5 francs
• An 13-W 5 francs
• An 14-K ¼ franc
• An 14-L ¼ franc
• An 14-A ½ franc
• An 14-L ½ franc
• An 14-U ½ franc
• An 14-A franc
• An 14-H franc
• An 14-L franc
• An 14-MA franc
• An 14-U franc
• An 14-W franc
• An 14-A 2 francs
• An 14-H 2 francs
• An 14-I 2 francs
• An 14-K 2 francs
• An 14-L 2 francs
• An 14-W 2 francs
• An 14-A 5 francs
• An 14-BB 5 francs
• An 14-H 5 francs
• An 14-I 5 francs
• An 14-K 5 francs
• An 14-L 5 francs
• An 14-M 5 francs
• An 14-U 5 francs
• An 14-W 5 francs
• An 14-A 20 francs
• An 14-I 20 francs
• An 14-Q 20 francs
• An 14-W 20 francs
• An 14-A 40 francs
• An 14-U 40 francs
• An 14-W 40 francs
• Coins and currency dated 1805