France AN12-I 1/2 franc KM-648.6

Jean Elsen sale 162, lot 1031

This specimen was lot 1031 in Jean Elsen sale 162 (Brussels, June 2025), where it sold for €130 (about US$180 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Consulat (1799-1804), AR demi-franc, an 12 I, Limoges. (France, consulate, 1799-1804, silver half franc of the year 12, Limoges mint. Very Fine.)"

This dime-sized coin was struck at Limoges under the régime of Napoleon as Premier Consul, before he made himself emperor. The type was struck AN11-12 only and is rather scarce. It was demonetized in 1869. The catalog^[2] notes 14 dates for the type, some very rare. Year 12 (1803-04) represents the first year all the silver and gold denominations appeared. Silver five francs and gold twenty and forty francs had appeared in France previously but year 12 saw the introduction of the silver ¼, ½, one and two francs.

Recorded mintage: 416,350, a slightly better date, plus 24,742 of F.174/5 ("EMPEREUR").

Specification: 2.5 g, 0.900 fine silver, 18 mm diameter, decorated edge. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: F.173/7, KM-648.6, Gad-394.

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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 162: Collection Jacques Druart, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2025.

Link to:

• AN 12-A ¼ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-BB ¼ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-I ¼ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-MA ¼ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-H ¼ franc, Empereur
• An 12-I ¼ franc, Empereur
• An 12-T ¼ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-A ½ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-BB ½ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-D ½ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-G ½ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-H ½ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-L ½ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-U ½ franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-A ½ franc, Empereur
• AN 12-BB ½ franc, Empereur
• An 12-T ½ franc, Empereur
• AN 12-A franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-BB franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-H franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-I franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-K franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-L franc, Premier Consul
• An 12-MA franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-U franc, Premier Consul
• AN 12-A franc, Empereur
• AN 12-B franc, Empereur
• AN 12-K franc, Empereur
• AN 12-A 2 francs, Premier Consul
• An 12-H 2 francs, Premier Consul
• An 12-MA 2 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-T 2 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-A 2 francs, Empereur
• An 12-BB 2 francs, Empereur
• An 12-K 2 francs, Empereur
• AN 12-M 2 francs, Empereur
• An 12-T 2 francs, Empereur
• AN 12-A 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-B 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-B 5 francs, Empereur
• AN 12-BB 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-D 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-I 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-K 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-L 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-M 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-MA 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-Q 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-T 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-U 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-W 5 francs, Premier Consul
• AN 12-A 5 francs, Empereur
• AN 12-I 5 francs, Empereur
• AN 12-M 5 francs, Empereur
• AN 12-Q 5 francs, Empereur
• AN 12-A 20 francs d'or, Premier Consul
• AN 12-A 20 francs d'or, Empereur
• AN 12-A 40 francs d'or
• Coins and currency dated 1803