France 1808-U 20 francs
This specimen was lot 34043 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $10,200. The catalog description[1] noted, "Impressive Turin Mint 20 Francs, FRANCE. Empire. 20 Francs, 1808-U. Turin Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, AU Details. Mintage: Despite the noted cleaning, this VERY RARE KEY displays an abundance of detail remaining and offers very little evidence of any actual handling. Vibrant yellow in hue, with a dazzling brilliance emanating from the fields. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Vinchon in 2003 for $5,607). Ex: Jean Vinchon (10/2003) Lot # 38." 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. This product of the Turin mint in Italy is rare.
Recorded mintage: 1,481[2].
Specification: 6.45 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE, designed by Pierre-Joseph Tiolier and Jean-Pierre Droz.
Catalog reference: Fr-503; KM-687.5; Gad-1024; F.515/7.
- 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 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
- [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:
- 1807-A 20 francs
- 1807-A 20 francs, laureate head
- 1807-M 20 francs
- 1807-U 20 francs
- 1807-W 20 francs
- 1808-BB 5 centimes
- 1808-A billon 10 centimes
- 1808-I billon 10 centimes
- 1808-M billon 10 centimes
- 1808-W billon 10 centimes
- 1808-A ¼ franc
- 1808-I ¼ franc
- 1808-L ¼ franc
- 1808-A ½ franc
- 1808-B ½ franc
- 1808-BB ½ franc
- 1808-D ½ franc
- 1808-H ½ franc
- 1808-I ½ franc
- 1808-K ½ franc
- 1808-Q ½ franc
- 1808-T ½ franc
- 1808-U ½ franc
- 1808-W ½ franc
- 1808-A franc
- 1808-BB franc
- 1808-D franc
- 1808-H franc
- 1808-I franc
- 1808-M franc
- 1808-T franc
- 1808-U franc
- 1808-W franc
- 1808-A 2 francs
- 1808-B 2 francs
- 1808-L 2 francs
- 1808-M 2 francs
- 1808-MA 2 francs
- 1808-Q 2 francs
- 1808-W 2 francs
- 1808-A 5 francs
- 1808-B 5 francs
- 1808-BB 5 francs
- 1808-H 5 francs
- 1808-K 5 francs
- 1808-L 5 francs
- 1808-M 5 francs
- 1808-MA 5 francs
- 1808-Q 5 francs
- 1808-U 5 francs
- 1808-W 5 francs
- 1808-A 20 francs
- 1808-M 20 francs
- 1808-Q 20 francs
- 1808-W 20 francs
- 1808-A 40 francs
- 1808-H 40 francs
- 1808-M 40 francs
- 1808-U 40 francs
- 1808-W 40 francs
- 1809-A 20 francs
- 1809-H 20 francs
- 1809-K 20 francs
- 1809-L 20 francs
- 1809-M 20 francs
- 1809-U 20 francs
- 1809-W 20 francs
- Coins and currency dated 1808