Napoleon III gold 100 Francs 1869-BB MS65 NGC, Strasbourg mint, KM802.2, Fr-581. Mintage: 14,000. An outstanding representative of this laureate-head issue, showing a massive, subtly toned planchet decorated with touches of amber color throughout the recesses, as well as a strike that leaves the central design illustrations soaring above the lustrous fields. For a type that is usually encountered with heavy post-strike abrasions, this selection remains unscathed, managing to avoid any evidence of serious handling. As such, it has reached the gem plateau that so few gold coins of this era manage to achieve, and of which it is singularly the finest-known example of the date. Ex. D. Moore Collection

HID99912102018