France 1811-U 20 francs

UBS sale 85, lot 756

This specimen was lot 756 in UBS sale 85 (Zurich, September 2010), where it sold for 850 CHF (about US$970 including buyer's fee). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANKREICH, Königreich, Premier Empire. Napoleon I. (1804-1814) 20 Francs 1811, Turin. Kl. Kr. Fast vorzüglich." (France, First Empire, Napoleon (1804-14), 20 francs of 1811, Turin mint. Light scratches, nice Extremely Fine)

Northern Italy being under French occupation, the Turin mint, formerly used to strike coins for the duke of Savoy, was set to work striking coins of French design 1805-13. Most of its issues are rare altho this date is only moderately so, being priced about four times the common date (1811-A). The type was struck 1809-15 in large quantities and common dates are readily available today. Le Franc^[2] warns against specimens with the hair and laurel wreath re-engraved, as this usually comes weak.

Recorded mintage: 20,220^[2].

Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered *DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE*, this specimen 6,43 g.

Catalog reference: Gad-1025, Schl-103, Fr-515, F.516/20, KM 695.

Source:

Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
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 IX: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2012.
^[1]UBS Auction 85: Gold and Silver Coins, Zurich: UBS AG, 2010.

Link to:

France 1811-U 20 francs

Navigation menu

Search