France 1859-A 50 centimes

from www.CGB.fr

Goldberg sale 69, lot 4740

from the Mountain Groan Collection

The first specimen was lot 1821 in CGB sale 31 (Paris, June 2007). The second specimen was lot 4740 in Goldberg sale 69 (Los Angeles, May, 2012), where it sold for $230. The catalog description ^[2] noted, "France. 50 Centimes, 1859-A. Napoleon III. Deep red-green toning. NGC graded MS-64." This dime-sized coin was struck at Paris under the régime of Napoleon III (1852-70). It is a common date of a type struck 1853-63. This type is distinguished from the later type (F.188) of 1864-69 by the absence of a laurel wreath on the emperor's head. It was demonetized in 1869. The catalog^[1] notes 16 dates for the type, some very rare.

Recorded mintage: 3,879,041^[1].

Specification: 2.5 g, 0.900 fine silver, 18 mm diameter, reeded edge. It was designed by Jean-Jacques Barre, 1793-1855.

Catalog reference: F.187/10, KM-794.1; Gad-414.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
• ^[1]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2013.
• ^[2]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Stephen Harvey and Paul Rynearson, Goldberg sale 69: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Ancient and World Coins, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2012.

Link to:

• 1858-A 50 centimes
• 1859-A 20 centimes
• 1859-A franc
• 1859-BB franc
• 1859-A 2 francs
• 1859-A silver 5 francs
• 1859-A gold 5 francs
• 1859-BB gold 5 francs
• 1859-A 10 francs
• 1859-BB 10 francs
• 1859-A 20 francs
• 1859-BB 20 francs
• 1859-BB 20 francs
• 1859-A 50 francs d'or
• 1859-BB 50 francs d'or
• 1859-A 100 francs
• 1859-BB 100 francs d'or
• 1860-A 50 centimes
• Coins and currency dated 1859