France 1856-D 50 centimes

Ponterio sale 151, lot 9209

photo courtesy Ponterio & Associates

the same specimen, from the Mountain Groan Collection

This specimen was lot 9209 in Ponterio sale 151 (Baltimore, November 2009), where it sold for $276. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. 50 Centimes, 1856-D. CHOICE BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED." This dime-sized coin was struck at Lyon under the régime of Napoleon III (1852-70). It is a slightly better date of a type struck 1853-63 and marks the last issue of silver from this mint, which closed permanently in 1858. 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^[3] notes 16 dates for the type, some very rare. This date is priced about 33% more than the commonest date (1858A).

Recorded mintage: 1,246,303^[3], 1,246,000^[2].

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.187/7, KM 794.3.

Source:

^[2]Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
^[1]Ponterio, Richard, and Kent Ponterio, Ponterio sale 151: The 2009 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Bowers and Merena, 2009.
^[3]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.

Link to:

France 1856-D 50 centimes

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