I've been wanting a coin of Napoleon as Premier Consul for some time. But they are scarcer, and tend to be a little pricier, than those of him as emperor, and it was some time before I found a specimen in which my requirements for both quality and price were met. But I'm happy with it! FIRST FRENCH REPUBLIC Napoleon Bonaparte as Premier Consul, 1799-1804 AR Franc (23.2mm, 4.95g, 6h) Dated AN 12 (1803). Paris mint, France Obverse: BONAPARTE PREMIER CONSUL, bare head of Napoleon Bonaparte right, engraver’s signature below Reverse: RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE. around wreath containing 1 FRANC. In two lines; below, date flanked by mintmarks References: Numista 8243 Mintage: 1,310,638 * * * * * * * * * * The French Consulate was established in 1799 by Napoleon Bonaparte in the months following the Coup of 18 Brumaire, in which he overthrew the increasingly dysfunctional government of the Directory and established himself as the leader of the French nation. General Bonaparte during the coup of 18 Brumaire in Saint-Cloud, painting by François Bouchot [www.histoire-image.org (direct link), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=304325] Napoleon was to be the premier or first Consul, with two consular colleagues, for a term of 10 years, although by 1802 Napoleon had succeeded in naming himself Consul for life. Installation du Conseil d'Etat (from left to right, the three consuls: Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Charles-François Lebrun) painting by Auguste Couder [Joconde database: entry 000PE005164, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=428686] It was during his rule as First Consul, perhaps, that Napoleon’s genius for organization and administration shone most brightly. France prospered greatly during this time: the convulsions and chaos of the Revolution receded as law and order were restored; the Treaty of Lunéville, signed in 1801, restored peace between France and Austria; in the same year Napoleon signed the Concordat with the Vatican, which restored to a large degree the rights and privileges of the Catholic Church in France; in 1802 the Peace of Amiens established peace with the United Kingdom; and in 1804 Napoleon introduced the Code Napoléon, a new standardized legal code, much of which is still in force today. The Consulate ended with Napoleon’s coronation as Emperor of the French late in 1804. Portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, painting by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres [Unknown author - njn.net, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6107787] Hope you enjoy it! Feel free to comment and/or post your own related coins!
Thanks! It was actually kind of an unexpected purchase. The coin was listed on MA-Shops with offers open, so I sent what I thought was a low-but-reasonable offer and was accepted. It was something like 30% off the list price if I recall correctly. Most sellers who accept offers on MA-Shops won't take more than a 5-10% discount so this came as a pleasant surprise!
Napoleone being of Italian-Corsican ancestry himself had quite an extensive series of Gold and Silver coins minted in Italy 1804-1814 with his portrait on them. Napoleone's brother Giuseppe also had his portrait on 1806-1808 120 Grana silver crowns minted in Naples. Napoleone and his family spoke Italian as their primary language at home and he learned French as a foreign language around the age of 8.
