Lot 1688
France. 20 Francs, 1850-A (Paris). Fr-566; KM-762. Weight 0.1867 ounce. Second Republic. Head of Ceres right. PCGS graded AU-58. In special PCGS Ship of Gold holder which contains One Pinch of Gold Dust recovered from the S.S. Central America treasure.
Special PCGS number 675688.58/35671941. Estimated Value $500 - UP
As part of the February Revolution of 1848, the unpopular Louis-Philippe was forced to abdicate the throne of France and flee to England and the July Monarchy was replaced by a Second French Republic. Unfortunately, only two years later, when this 20-franc piece was struck, the Second Republic was already dying, thanks to its president, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, who spent much of 1850 developing a crisis in the French Legislative Assembly. Although the elections of that year had brought republicans into the majority, Louis Napoleon supported increasingly conservative and Orléanist policies which led to increasing disaffection with both the conservatives and the seemingly ineffectual republicans.
After the death of Louis-Philippe on 26 August 1850, Louis Napoleon immediately began a tour of France with the aim of garnering support for a new constitution that would allow for his re-election. As he progressed through the country, the glamor of his name inspired cheers of "Vive Napoléon!" particularly with the army. It was clear that the soldiery, who still remembered the glory of the First French Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte, was behind him. Louis Napoleon next galvanized popular support by replacing his largely Orléanist cabinet with obscure men loyal to his person and by denouncing the electoral law of 31 May 1850 (which he had previously assisted in passing) that effectively disenfranchised much of the working class through its residency requirements. By the end of 1850, Louis Napoleon had created the conditions for a perfect storm that would break in January 1851, when the Legislative Assembly refused to accept his proposed amendments to the constitution. Whereas the Assembly was primarily concerned with curbing the president's growing power, this act cast it as an enemy of the people and at last, on 2 December 1851, Louis Napoleon staged a popular coup that overthrew the Second Republic and would subsequently establish the Second French Empire.
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| Realized $1,320 |
