France 1806-M 40 francs

Jean Elsen sale 160, lot 1719

This specimen was lot 1719 in Jean Elsen sale 160 (Brussels, November 2024), where it sold for €3,400 (about US$4,305 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Napoléon Ier (1804-1814), AV 40 francs, 1806 M, Toulouse. Très rare. Petites taches au droit. Belle couleur. Avec brillant de frappe. Très Beau à Superbe. (empire of France, Napoleon I, 1804-14, gold forty francs of 1806, Toulouse mint. Small stains on the obverse, nice color, with mint luster, very fine to extremely fine.)"

The French empire produced large quantities of gold coins, made from metal looted from countries Napoleon conquered. However, gold coins of the French branch mints are very scarce as a class and have long been underpriced, mostly because the few survivors are in poor condition.

Recorded mintage: unknown but rare^[2].

Specification: 12.90 g, 0.900 fine gold, 26 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, designed by Pierre-Joseph Tiolier and Jean-Pierre Droz.

Catalog reference: F.538/3, KM 675.4, Gad-1082; Fr-486.

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.
^[1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 160, Collection de deniers liegeois et Collection de monnaies d'or francaises, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.
^[2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies. Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.

Link to:

France 1806-M 40 francs

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