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5 Francs - Napoleon III small head
| Issuer | Monnaie de Paris |
|---|---|
| Year | 1855-1860 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central field displays the denomination 5 FRANCS in two lines, surmounted by the date, all enclosed within a finely detailed wreath of laurel branches tied at the base with a ribbon, below which the mint mark A appears. The circular legend EMPIRE FRANÇAIS runs along the upper periphery between the wreath's tips. The design is framed by a continuous border of dentils, consistent with the neo-classical style of Second Empire coinage. |
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| Additional information |
Napoleon III's Second Empire monetary reform of 1852 established the Latin Monetary Union's eventual gold standard framework, but the early "small head" portrait type — modeled by Albert-Désiré Barre — was replaced relatively quickly by the larger effigy type introduced from 1861 onward. The short production window of 1855–1860 accounts for the comparative scarcity of this variety against its successor.
Barre held the post of chief engraver at the Paris Mint from 1855 until his death in 1878.