France 1812-U 20 francs

Jean Elsen sale 137, lot 1052

This specimen was lot 1052 in Jean Elsen sale 137 (Brussels, June 2018), where it sold for €600 (about US$835 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[2] noted,

"FRANCE, Napoléon Ier (1804-1814), AV 20 francs, 1812U, Turin. 7.339 p. frappées. Rare. presque Très Beau. (empire of France, Napoleon I, 1804-14, gold twenty francs of 1812, Turin mint. Rare, about very fine.)"

This type was struck 1809-14 with 14.2 million from all mints, making it the most common French gold coin prior to the 1850's. Turin minted these 1809-13 but all dates are expensive. After the year 14, the revolutionary calendar was dropped in favor of the traditional Gregorian calendar. The twenty francs of Napoleon are divided into seven types, of which this is the last. It was demonetized in 2005 but ceased to circulate during World War One. A complete set of this type comprises 45 date and mintmark combinations.

Specification: 21 mm diameter, 6.45 grams, 0.900 fine gold, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Jean-Pierre Droz (1746-1823) and Pierre Joseph Tiolier (1763-1819).

Recorded Mintage: 7,315^[1].

Catalog reference: Gad-1025; F.516/28, KM 695.10.

Source:

^[1]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
^[2]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 137, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2018.

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France 1812-U 20 francs

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