The Coins of Napoleon's Era

Strictly speaking coinage of this era belongs in World Coinage, so if it needs to be moved, please go ahead.
Also, I did not want to impolitely crowd other members threads with this. Thus, a new thread dedicated only to the coins of the Napoleonic Era.

This momentous era in European history extended roughly from the end of the reign of the deposed king, Louis XVI, approximately the period between 1788 (he was executed on the 20th of January 1793), until Napoleon's defeat in the fields of Waterloo in 1815.
His influence in european history had of course a much more profound and lasting repercussion.

It covers coinage issued by Louis XVI while he was King, as well as coins issued by the Revolutionary Government, the French National Convention, as well as those issued for Napoleon himself.
It covers issues not only struck for circulation in France, but also struck under his name or that of his relatives in France, Spain, the Germans states, Italy and other territories.

If you have any issues associated with France or Napoleon for this era, please go ahead and post them!

To get started, here is my only coin struck in the name of the deposed king:

Louis XVI, France. Louis d'or, 1790-N (Montpellier).
Obv: Bare head left.
Reverse: Crown over two square shields.
Weak areas in striking.

Note about this coin: a rare issue from the Montpellier mint, which closed during the Revolution. The years 1786-87 are common as the mints melted down and reminted old tenor gold, but the later dates (1788-92) are much scarcer. Recorded mintage: 9,683. Specification: 7.65 g, .917 fine gold, 22-23 mm diameter, designed by Benjamin Duvivier.
Catalog reference: KM 591.11, Fr. 475, Dr/4 no. 661, Dr/2 no. 605, Gad-361.

This is apparently only the second known example of this date and mint.

 

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One time I visited a city around here with an American friend of mine, and at one point mentioned that "this church" (Gothic Revival style) was "not really old". In the sense of not medieval but built roughly 100 years ago. A little later, when she was back in the US, she heard her priest talk about some carpet at the church that needed to be replaced because "it is ancient!" ... Similarly, for collectors of ancients anything not made in the past 50 years or so seems to be ancient.

Interesting coin though! A few weeks ago I was in Paris, and also visited the church (basilique) in Saint-Denis, with the royal tombs. There they were too, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Don't have my coins here, but while do not collect such ancient pieces, I did get a couple of "Berg" coins (Jülich-Kleve-Berg, Grand Duchy of Berg), issued by Max Joseph but also Joachim Murat. Once Prussia, as a winner of the war, swallowed Berg, the times of those coins were over ...

Christian

 

Real nice Eduard! Being the 2nd known for date and mint is an added bonus for sure! Congrats!

 

@Eduard

Yet another great coin from your collection. Your collection must be very impressive indeed! Thanks for the history as well.

 

It's a great gold coin, Eduard and I am glad to see it posted here instead of World since tha that forum can be slow.

 

My coin of Napoleon.

 

Thank you guys for your comments and posting your great coins of Napoleon.
Christian, would be great to see your example of Joachim Murat's coinage if you get a chance.

This is a link to a useful website for French Coinage with focus on the Napoleonic issues:
http://www.lefranc.net

 

Monneron Brother's Token




Napoleon

 

Longshot, than you for posting your monnaie de confiance issued by the Moneron brothers. I have seen these around but knew little about them. This gave me an opportunity to read up on their history and their role during France's revolutionary period.

 

I hoped you wouldn't think it off-topic, I thought it attests to the unrest preceding Napoleon's rise to power.

 

I have two coins relevant to this period. Both are junk box finds, coins for the proletarian masses
First is a copper 5 centimes from revolutionary France, dated to Revolutionary Year 8:

And second is a silver 5 soldi from Parma in Italy, dated 1815. It features Maria Luigia (aka Marie Louise), Duchess of Parma, who was the second wife of Napoleon from 1810 to his death in 1821, and Empress of France from 1810 to 1814. While Josephine is still famous today, poor Maria is basically a footnote to history.

 

This brockage is my only Napoleonic crown -

 

Well, it's very nice to see a topic related to french coinage. As you might guess I have a few to show....wanna see them ?

@Eduard, since you started with a Louis XVI, which is a good idea to introduce the subject because Louis XVI and the Revolution are related to Napoleon I° and allowed him to raise, I will do the same :


Louis XVI (1774-1792) - Demi Ecu aux lauriers 1791 A Atelier de Paris, 2° semestre de 1791 (.A)
LUD . XVI . D . G . FR . ET . NAV . REX ., buste habillé a gauche orné du cordon du Saint Esprit. Point sous le D de LUD
. SIT . NOMEN . DOMINI BENEDICTVM lyre 1791, ecu ovale couronné entre deux branches de laurier, .A sous l'ecu
Tranche inscrite : DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM
14.70 gr
Ref : Ciani # 2189

This coin and the following three give a "shortcut" of how the person of the King was considered through the french revolution : on this one Louis XVI is monarch by Divine right "Ludovicus XVI Deo Gratia Fran. et Nav. Rex"



Constitution - 12 deniers 1791 A Atelier de Paris (A)
LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCOIS, buste drapé a gauche, A sous le buste
LA NATION LA LOI LE ROI rose 1791 . 3 . DELALIB . faisceau surmonté d'un bonnet phrygien entre deux branches de chêne
11.82 gr
Ref : Ciani # 2253

We now have a King being on the same level as his subjects and the Law. He his king of the french instead of being king of France



Constitution - 30 sols 1792 I Atelier de Limoges (I)
. LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCOIS . a l'exergue 1792, buste drapé a gauche
REGNE DE LA LOI, le genie de la liberté a droite, gravant la CONSTITUTION.
Dans le champ 30 | SOLS . et I, a l'exergue L'AN 4 DE LA LIBERTE . en deux lignes
10.16 gr
Ref : Ciani # 2241

Louis XVI is still there on the obverse, but the reverse says "the Law is now above all and everything"



Convention - Sol aux balances 1793 AA Atelier de Metz (AA) refrappe
REPUBLIQUE FRANCOISE, la table de la loi, avec gravé LES HOMMES SONT EGAUX DEVANT LA LOI en cinq lignes, de part et d'autre une grappe de raisin et des epis de blé, a l'exergue L'AN II
LIBERTE EGALITE, balance surmontée d'un bonnet phrygien, entourée d'une couronne de chêne, au centre I . S a l'exergue AA 1793 en deux lignes
10.89 gr
Ref : Gadoury 2003 # 19

The King is no more present (he's had been executed on jan 21st the same year), and "humans are equals towards Law"



Republique - 5 centimes l'An 4 A Atelier de Paris (A)
REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, buste de la République a gauche, coiffée d'un bonnet phrygien
5 CENTIMES L'AN 4 . en trois lignes, a l'exergue A
4.82 gr
Ref : Le Franc VIII # 113/1



Bonaparte I° Consul - 20 francs or An 12 A Atelier de Paris (A)
BONAPARTE PREMIER CONSUL, tête nue a gauche
REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE, couronne de lauriers entourant 20 FRANCS en deux lignes. A l'exergue . coq . AN 12. . A .
Tranche inscrite DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE
6.44 gr
Ref : Le Franc VIII # 510/2

The revolution has ended, Bonaparte is soon becoming Napoleon I Empereur, as Octavian became Augustus (note the similarities on this portrait with those of Augustus on the "bull butting" denarii), but still unsure of what is going on. We see many contradictory messages for a laïque republic : a consul on obverse, a republic on reverse, a revolutionary calendar (An 12) and ... God save France on the edge...
Now you know why you find french people so romantic...




Napoleon I° Empereur - Demi Franc 1808 D Atelier de Lyon (D)
NAPOLEON EMPEREUR ., tête lauree a droite
REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE ., couronne de laurier entourant DEMI FRANC en deux lignes, a l'exergue 1808 . D
Tranche lisse
2.48 gr
Ref : Le Franc VIII # 177/5

Still the same confusion. : Emperor on the obverse, but Emperor of a republic...

Q

 

His downfall started with the Battle of Leipzig Germany 1813, his Grand Armee was beaten and driven out of Germany.Final blow came at Waterloo in Belgium 1815.

 

I don't own any relevant coins I am afraid.

The closest I come is a Mudie medal of Lt. General Sir Thomas Picton who came from my home town where there is a monument still in his name.

Obv:- Facing bust of Picton
Rev:- Picton standing left, in heroic pose, holding standard and sword

Celebrating a victory at the battle of Badajoz in April 1812.

 

@Parthicus, thank you for showing us the coin bearing Maria Luigia's portrait. You are certainly right about history having been unkind to her. I needed to remind myself who she was.

@BillSnyder2000, I have never seen brockage of a Napoleon I, 5 franc piece. That is a very unusual (and valuable) piece I would say. If you are only going to have one, well that is certainly an excellent candidate. Thank you for posting this unusual coin.

 

@Cucumbor, you have a very nice selection of Napoleonic and related coinage!
I don't know were to start, but I find that Sol aux Balances very, very nice.
It is one of my favorite revolutionary era designs.

This is a coin that is very difficult to find in good condition, specially with the legend on the tablet so well defined. I know because I have never been able to purchase one like yours. Your description of it says 'refrappe'. Is it later (re)-strike?

Your demi-franc is also very interesting. I seem to recall that two varieties of it exist: a la joue ronde et a la joue mince? (thin and thick cheeks). Your example seems to be a thick cheek type?
I had never paused to think about the contradiction expressed on the legends on the coin, as you well point out: the Emperor of a Republic...

A very nice selection of the coin of Napoleon's Time. Thank you for posting, and please go ahead and post any more you have. Maybe a 5 Franc Hercule, or an Ecu de 6 Livres de la Convention?

 

Those are great, love the Demi Franc & the 30 soles.

 

Thanks @Eduard for the kind words.

It is indeed a restrike from somewhen during XIX° century. One can recognize them by the lack of dot after 1.S and the dots after the date. All of them are from the Metz mint (AA). There are some nice examples on sale from time to time, quite pricey, though

http://www.poinsignon-numismatique....ances-1793aa-metz-refrappe_article_81362.html

http://www.numisaisne.com/gad-19-convention-sol-aux-balances-1793-aa-metz-sup-c2x21377508?PGFLngID=0

http://www.cgb.fr/la-convention-ref...a-la-table-de-loi-1793-metz,bry_275627,a.html

http://www.beaussant-lefevre.com/ht...73&np=1&lng=fr&npp=10000&ordre=&aff=&r=&sold=

Yes it's the thick cheek type, you're right. For 1808D (Lyon mint), according to le franc 10 which is the reference book for french modern coins (in short our red book), with a mintage of 870 000, it would be the fourth known example (they record only three in the book and aren't aware of that one.

I'm sorry I can't post any 5 francs Hercule or six livres ecu as I don't have any.
All I can do is adding two coins from the immediate successors of Napoleon


Louis XVIII (1814-1824) - 2 francs 1823 W Atelier de Lille (W)
LOUIS XVIII ROI DE FRANCE . tête a gauche
Ecu de france couronné dans une couronne de laurier, dans le champ 2 | F, a l'exergue 1823 W
Tranche inscrite : DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM
9.97 gr
Ref : Le Franc VIII # 257/50



Charles X (1824-1830) - 2 francs 1826 L Atelier de Bayonne (L)
CHARLES X ROI DE FRANCE . tête a gauche
Ecu de france couronné dans une couronne de laurier, dans le champ 2 | F, a l'exergue 1826 L
Tranche inscrite : DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM
9.87 gr
Ref : Le Franc VIII # 258/19

Q

 

Now that is peculiar indeed. The other changes (King of France/of the French, from "AD" years to revolutionary years and back, etc.) make sense to me. But that I find strange.

Christian