Featured When photos can't do it justice: exquisitely toned silver franc of Napoleon Bonaparte

What do redwood trees, the interior of the Hagia Sophia, and my new coin have in common?

Photos can’t do it justice.

Having recently taken an interest in Napoleonic history, I’ve been keeping a lookout for nice coins of that time. This silver franc caught my eye in a recent CNG auction. I could see it had great detail and also looked like it had some decent toning. The auction house described it as AU with “beautiful deep and iridescent toning”. My bid was successful and I bought the coin. Here’s CNG’s picture:

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As nice as it looked in the auction house photo, when the coin arrived I was amazed how much better it was in real life. The toning is spectacular, brilliant and flashy. I spent some time photographing it, trying to capture the full beauty of it. Here's the best I could do.

FIRST FRENCH EMPIRE
Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor, 1804-1814, 1815
AR Franc (23.1mm, 4.90g, 6h)
Dated 1808. Paris mint, France
Obverse: NAPOLEON EMPEREUR., laureate bust of Napoleon Bonaparte right, engraver’s signature below
References: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE. around wreath containing 1 FRANC. in two lines; date flanked by mintmarks below
References: Numista 6717
Mintage: 4,598,835
Near-mint state and exquisitely toned. From the Alexander Christopher Collection.
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With a coin like this, a video is the best way to show it. Check out those mirror-like surfaces!

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Now for the history behind the coin...

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NAPOLEON BONAPARTE is without question one of the greatest and most influential figures in modern history. His military genius is legendary and unsurpassed; over the course of his career he personally fought 60 battles and won all but seven of them. As a civil administrator he helped shape the modern world through his energetic policies promoting meritocracy, equality before the law, education, religious freedom, scientific advancement, and more.

Napoleon Bonaparte in his study at the Tuileries. [By Jacques-Louis David - zQEbF0AA9NhCXQ at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22174172]​

Born in 1769 on the Mediterranean island of Corsica, Napoleon received his formal education in mainland France, becoming an artillery officer in the French Royal Army at the age of 16. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, Napoleon joined the cause and achieved several notable victories against the royalists. In 1798 he launched an invasion of Egypt, more famous today for its scientific and archaeological discoveries than for its military significance. Napoleon returned to France a popular hero in 1799, seized control of the government in a bloodless coup, and became Premier Consul, and later Emperor, of France.

The Coronation of Napoleon. [By Jacques-Louis David / Georges Rouget - art database, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=546742]​

Napoleon ruled as an “enlightened despot” and was extremely popular with the people, not only for his great military victories but also for his effective and efficient administration. Napoleon brought an end to the chaos of the Revolution, reestablished law and order in the countryside, promoted education in both science and the arts, revised and updated the legal code, extended religious freedom to minorities, and brought prosperity to millions of middle-class Frenchmen.

First remittance of the Légion d'Honneur, 15 July 1804, at Saint-Louis des Invalides, by Jean-Baptiste Debret, 1812 [By Jean-Baptiste Debret - Joconde database: entry 000PE004980, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=304369​

Unfortunately for Napoleon, the nature of his rise to power, his love of conquest, and the threat he posed to the entrenched monarchical systems throughout Europe ensured that no European power was prepared to recognize his rule as legitimate. In twelve years he faced down and defeated five coalitions formed against him; a sixth was formed after his disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812 left his army decimated.

Napoleon’s retreat from Russia. [By Adolph Northen - [1][2], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=298121]​

This coalition, comprised of the combined forces of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Sardinia, and assorted German states, finally succeeded in driving Napoleon to defeat, abdication, and exile to the island of Elba in 1814.

Battle of Leipzig, October 16-19, 1813. The largest battle in European history prior to World War I. [By Vladimir Moshkov - From http://lj.rossia.org/users/john_petrov/605281.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1398108]
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However, news of general dissatisfaction with the newly restored Bourbon monarchy, together with financial problems and a natural restlessness in his confinement, all induced Napoleon to make one last gamble for power. In 1815 he secretly escaped from Elba with a thousand men, landed in France, and began a march on Paris, his little force growing rapidly as thousands of soldiers and commanders defected to their former Emperor.

Napoleon’s return from Elba. [By Charles de Steuben - http://www.firstempire.0catch.com/C...se_I/Rally_at_Grenoble/rally_at_grenoble.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50862200]​

Napoleon took the capital without firing a shot on March 19. Six days later, the Seventh Coalition was formed against him, and on June 18 the two sides faced each other for one final, titanic battle near Waterloo, Belgium.

Battle of Waterloo. [By William Sadler - Napoleon.org.pl, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15176449]
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After hours of bitter fighting, Napoleon’s forces were defeated. Napoleon surrendered, was taken into custody by the British, and exiled to the remote island of St. Helena, where he remained until his death in 1821.

Napoleon on St. Helena. [By František Xaver Sandmann - http://musees-nationaux-malmaison.f...dmann_napoleon-a-sainte-helene_aquarelle_1820, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=246932]​

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Thanks for taking a look! I hope you enjoy the coin and the little historical writeup. Feel free to comment and/or post your own coins of "the Little Corporal", coins of the Napoleonic era, coins that surprised you when you got them in hand, or anything else relevant!

 

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Your post and the coin makes me want to go out and buy one of these coins.

 

Hey guys! I have a button that I found while metal detecting. It's got silver wash and on the back, it says "The Battle of Waterloo 1815" and a cool pictorial with drum/ sticks, musical notes and some "fancy" on it. I believe it is an 1800's commemorative button. COOL, huh?

 

I like it because it spells out history. Not monetarily.