France 1810-BB franc

Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71398

This specimen was lot 71398 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $360. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. Franc, 1810-BB. Strasbourg Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, Fine Details. Though some cleaning and extensive circulation are observed, this minor stands as a difficult and SCARCE piece, as can be conveyed through its paltry mintage figure. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Lepczyk in March 1984 for $35). Ex: George Sobin Collection (Joseph Lepczyk - 3/1984) Lot # 1202 (part of)." This was struck at Strasbourg under the régime of Napoleon as emperor. The type was struck 1809-14. However, despite being in production for six years, more were made (11.8 million) of the previous type (F.204) than of this type (10.0 million). It was demonetized in 1869. The catalog^[2] notes 74 dates for the type, some very rare. This date is rare.

Recorded mintage: 4,330^[2], a rare date.

Specification: 23 mm diameter, 5 grams, 0.900 fine silver, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: F.205/14, KM-692.3; Gad-447.

Sources:

• 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.
• ^[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.

Link to:

• 1809-A franc
• 1809-B franc
• 1809-H franc
• 1809-W franc
• 1810-T 10 centimes
• 1810-A ½ franc
• 1810-B ½ franc
• 1810-D ½ franc
• 1810-K ½ franc
• 1810-L ½ franc
• 1810-MA ½ franc
• 1810-W ½ franc
• 1810-A franc
• 1810-B franc
• 1810-H franc
• 1810-L franc
• 1810-M franc
• 1810-A 2 francs
• 1810-B 2 francs
• 1810-D 2 francs
• 1810-H 2 francs
• 1810-I 2 francs
• 1810-L 2 francs
• 1810-M 2 francs
• 1810-MA 2 francs
• 1810-Q 2 francs
• 1810-A 5 francs
• 1810-B 5 francs
• 1810-BB 5 francs
• 1810-D 5 francs
• 1810-I 5 francs
• 1810-K 5 francs
• 1810-L 5 francs
• 1810-M 5 francs
• 1810-Q 5 francs
• 1810-U 5 francs
• 1810-W 5 francs
• 1810-A 20 francs
• 1810-H 20 francs
• 1810-K 20 francs
• 1810-M 20 francs
• 1810-Q 20 francs
• 1810-U 20 francs
• 1810-W 20 francs
• 1810-K 40 francs
• 1810-W 40 francs
• Coins and currency dated 1810