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18 Francs, 40 Centimes, 4 Ounces French siege coinage - Large stamps
| Issuer | Zara, City of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1813 |
| Type | Emergency coin |
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| Obverse description | Within a central lozenge-shaped cartouche, the Napoleonic imperial eagle displayed, perched on a thunderbolt or branch. The inscription ZARA flanks the central device horizontally, with the date 1813 positioned at the sides. The field surrounding the lozenge is plain and unadorned, characteristic of emergency siege coinage struck under austere wartime conditions. |
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| Edge | Lettered: SB MF SP |
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| Additional information |
Zara — the heavily fortified Adriatic port the French had held since 1805 — came under British naval blockade and Austrian siege in late 1813, cutting the garrison off entirely. With no coin supply possible and soldiers and merchants needing a functional medium of exchange, the French commandant authorized emergency coinage struck directly from melted silverware, candlesticks, and church plate collected within the walls. The denomination was calculated against the actual silver weight of each piece rather than a fixed standard, which is why individual examples vary so dramatically despite sharing the same type designation.
The city capitulated to Austria in December 1813. This "large stamp" variety was produced in the final weeks of the siege.