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Amazing prices for pretty common French copper and silver

gscoinsgscoins Posts: 304 ✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

I was tracking Heritage's recent French coin auction (along with Great Collections' January 5, 2025 sale) and noticed some rather remarkable prices for high graded common French copper and silver.

Heritage had a 1919 2 franc in PCGS 66 that sold for $930 and GC sold a 1917 2 franc in PCGS 66+ for $1605 (plus the buyer's premium). Heritage had a whole bunch of MS 66 Red 5 and 10 centimes (the 1898-1921 Daniel Dupuis design) selling for enormous prices given their mintages (from $660 for two separate 1899 10 centimes down to $432 for a 1913 5 centimes).

Given how available these coins are (or, at least, "were"), these prices seem to suggest that even common coins in high grades are highly prized (and fought over!).

Comments

  • Bob13Bob13 Posts: 1,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree that there seems to be some chasing of "top pop" coins. CRO also had some toned semeuse coins recently that sold quickly.

    My current "Box of 20"

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,357 ✭✭✭✭✭

    French coinage really has something for everyone. Seems design and condition rarity is a winning combination. I see 17th through the mid 19th century as the greater challenge.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • realeswatcherrealeswatcher Posts: 414 ✭✭✭

    Which is truthfully crazy because SOOOO much gem coinage of these later types is certainly still sitting raw...

    As Bob13 noted - and backed up by a few threads on here the past year or two - Semeuse toners seem to do well.

    I find it kinda nuts... the low mintages on early-mid 1800s branch mints in decent grade are what SHOULD be chased, I think. That said, the Ceres, Dupuis, Semeuse designs are very attractive... so I sort of get it.

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,357 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This is another that just came back- I really do not see many of these around and it begs the question as to the surviving population. I have not done research into whether a percentage of the mintage was simply not released and melted.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,357 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1792-A 30 Sols-

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • BjornBjorn Posts: 538 ✭✭✭

    I agree with the sentiment that a lot of the Directory through Napoleon I branch mints should go for more, but people seem to only really like the big 5 francs from the period. The high prices on the Semeuse silver coins in the auction aren't too surprising - people can chase really high graded pieces. I have handled a number of uncirculated Semeuse 50 centimes to 2 franc pieces, but don't know how many would make it to MS66. They certainly seem more common than red high grade 5 and 10 centimes. I have a weak spot for the Ceres head pieces, as well as the 1848 patterns.

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