France 1808-L 5 francs

Stack's Bowers 2025 NYINC sale, lot 34094

This specimen was lot 34094 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $840. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, 1808-L. Bayonne Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS AU-58. Tied with just one other example for the top spot in the PCGS census, this enchanting crown provides an almond-gray hue and hints of pastel iridescence, all while a good deal of original brilliance remains among the protected areas. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Bank Leu in Zurich on 11 September 1972 for $75)." Shown is a Napoleonic five francs struck at the Bayonne mint in 1808. The various designs of Napoleonic five francs form eight distinct types of which this is the sixth, struck 1807-08 with a complete set of this type comprising 16 date and mintmark combinations, some very rare. This date is slightly scarce for the type, being priced double the common date (1808-B). It was officially withdrawn from circulation in 1928 and demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate in France after World War One.

Recorded mintage: 143,827^[2].

Specification: 25 grams, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: Dav-84; Sobin-57; KM-686.8; Gad-583; F.306/9.

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:

• 1807-A 5 francs, bare head
• 1807-A 5 francs, laureate head
• 1807-B 5 francs
• 1807-BB 5 francs
• 1807-D 5 francs
• 1807-I 5 francs
• 1807-H 5 francs
• 1807-K 5 francs
• 1807-L 5 francs
• 1807-Q 5 francs
• 1807-U 5 francs
• 1807-W 5 francs
• 1808-BB 5 centimes
• 1808-A billon 10 centimes
• 1808-I billon 10 centimes
• 1808-M billon 10 centimes
• 1808-W billon 10 centimes
• 1808-A ¼ franc
• 1808-I ¼ franc
• 1808-L ¼ franc
• 1808-A ½ franc
• 1808-B ½ franc
• 1808-BB ½ franc
• 1808-D ½ franc
• 1808-H ½ franc
• 1808-I ½ franc
• 1808-K ½ franc
• 1808-Q ½ franc
• 1808-T ½ franc
• 1808-U ½ franc
• 1808-W ½ franc
• 1808-A franc
• 1808-BB franc
• 1808-D franc
• 1808-H franc
• 1808-I franc
• 1808-M franc
• 1808-T franc
• 1808-U franc
• 1808-W franc
• 1808-A 2 francs
• 1808-B 2 francs
• 1808-L 2 francs
• 1808-M 2 francs
• 1808-MA 2 francs
• 1808-Q 2 francs
• 1808-W 2 francs
• 1808-A 5 francs
• 1808-B 5 francs
• 1808-BB 5 francs
• 1808-H 5 francs
• 1808-K 5 francs
• 1808-M 5 francs
• 1808-MA 5 francs
• 1808-Q 5 francs
• 1808-U 5 francs
• 1808-W 5 francs
• 1808-A 20 francs
• 1808-M 20 francs
• 1808-Q 20 francs
• 1808-U 20 francs
• 1808-W 20 francs
• 1808-A 40 francs
• 1808-H 40 francs
• 1808-M 40 francs
• 1808-U 40 francs
• 1808-W 40 francs
• 1809-A 5 francs
• 1809-B 5 francs
• 1809-D 5 francs
• 1809-H 5 francs
• 1809-I 5 francs
• 1809-K 5 francs
• 1809-L 5 francs
• 1809-MA 5 francs
• 1809-U 5 francs
• 1809-W 5 francs
• Coins and currency dated 1808