France 1818-Q 20 francs

Jean Elsen sale 124, lot 1080

This specimen was lot 1080 in Jean Elsen sale 124 (Brussels, March 2015), where it sold for €260 (about US$324 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Louis XVIII, seconde restauration (1815-1824), AV 20 francs, 1818 Q, Perpignan. Traces d'ajustage. Très Beau. (France, Louis XVIII, second restoration (1815-24), gold twenty francs of 1818, Perpignan mint. Adjustment marks, very fine.)"

This issue, from the Perpignan mint, is one of a type struck during the reign of Louis XVIII from seven mints. Paris mint issues are reasonably common but the branch mint issues are generally rare. A complete set of this type (1816-24) comprises 34 date and mintmark combinations. Le Franc^[2] estimates a total mintage of 12.7 million for the whole type. All gold twenty francs were officially recalled in 1928 but effectively ceased to circulate during World War I.

Recorded mintage: 24,955^[2], a fairly common date.

Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM, Designed by August François Michaud, 1786-1879.

Catalog reference: Gad-1028; Fr-540, F.519/12, KM 712.6.

Source:

• 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 124, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2015.

Link to:

• 1817-A 20 francs
• 1817-K 20 francs
• 1817-L 20 francs
• 1817-Q 20 francs
• 1817-W 20 francs
• 1818-L 20 francs
• 1818-T 20 francs
• 1818-W 20 francs
• 1818-A ¼ franc
• 1818-W ¼ franc
• 1818 5 francs, visit of the king's brother to the Paris mint
• 1818-A 20 francs
• 1818-A 40 francs
• 1818-W 40 francs
• 1819-A 20 francs
• 1819-Q 20 francs
• Coins and currency dated 1818