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50 Francs - Napoleon III Pattern
| Issuer | Monnaie de Paris |
|---|---|
| Year | 1854 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Franc (1795-1959) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Imperial Napoleonic eagle displayed facing right, with wings spread and talons resting upon a thunderbolt and laurel branch fasces, rendered in bold relief at the centre of the field. The circular legend EMPIRE FRANÇAIS arcs across the upper field, while the denomination 50 FRANCS is inscribed in large letters along the lower arc. Two small stars punctuate the field at either side below the eagle. The design is enclosed by a fine toothed border. |
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| Additional information |
Pattern coinage from the early Second Empire was produced in part to establish Napoleon III's visual authority on French currency — his government had moved quickly after the 1851 coup to replace Republican imagery, and the 1854 patterns represent that transition being worked out in metal before official types were fixed. Multiple design variants were tested this year, which is why Mazard catalogs several distinct entries clustering around this period.
Pedigree matters considerably with this type. Surviving examples largely trace back to the original Monnaie de Paris collections or 19th-century cabinet dispersals.