France AN12-BB 2 francs KM-658.3
This specimen was lot 34128 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $4,080. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 2 Francs, Year 12-BB (1803/4). Strasbourg Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS EF-45. The only example of the date and mint in the PCGS census, this EXCEPTIONALLY RARE specimen boasts a scant mintage and no doubts remains elusive among even the most advanced collections. Entirely wholesome and only lightly circulated. From the Richard Margolis Collection." This half dollar-sized coin was struck at Strasbourg under the régime of Napoleon as emperor. The type was struck AN12-14 only and is rather scarce. It was demonetized in 1869. The catalog[2] notes 35 dates for the type, most very rare. This date is rare. Year 12 (1803-04) represents the first year all the silver and gold denominations appeared. Silver half, one and five francs and gold twenty and forty francs had appeared previously but year 12 saw the introduction of the silver quarter and two francs.
Recorded mintage: 13,637 plus 1,965 of F.250/2 (Premier Consul).
Specification: 10 g, 0.900 fine silver, 27 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.
Catalog reference: KM-658.3; Gad-495; F.251/3.
- [2]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.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2025 NYINC Showcase Auction, featuring the Richard Margolis Collection, Part III, and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
Links to:
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- Coins and currency dated 1803
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