France: Henri V Pretender gold Proof Piefort Off-Metal Essai 5 Francs 1832 PR64 Ultra Cameo NGC,...

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Exceptional Piefort Gold Essai of Pretender Henri V

Henri V Pretender gold Proof Piefort Off-Metal Essai 5 Francs 1832 PR64 Ultra Cameo NGC, KM-X35g (Only a few specimens known), Maz-906c (R5), VG-Unl. 71.91gm. Plain edge. Struck in the name of Henri, pretender to the French throne and disputed King of France from August 2 to August 9, 1830. Henri V, the Duke of Bordeaux, was the son of Charles Ferdinand, the Duke of Berry, himself the younger son of Charles X of France. Charles abdicated the throne as the result of the July Revolution of 1830, bypassing the succession to his son in favor of his grandson, Henri. Henri's contested reign lasted only a single week before the National Assembly would ultimately declare Louis Philippe I as the rightful King of France, yet Patterns bearing the image of the young contested ruler survive to the present, as is exemplified by the present piece. All gold Patterns of his "reign" remain exceedingly scarce, but this piefort issue exists on an entirely different level than even those. While Mazard assigns a rating of "R5" for the type, which corresponds to, "of the greatest rarity," the Unusual World Coins catalog notes, "only a few specimens known." This is the first such example we have seen, and indeed, given the type's tremendous rarity, it may well remain the only one for many years to come.

The heavier weight standard of the specimen is immediately felt in hand, its heft lending a considerable aura of importance to this elusive emission, which exceeds itself by the splendor of its near-gem condition. Every minute detail in Henri's uniform and sensitively rendered features stand in stark contrast to the surrounding elements, not a hint of weakness traceable across either the obverse or the reverse designs. A bold, flat rim provides a fitting visual frame to these details, serving as a border to golden fields that flash effortlessly upon rotation. Tinges of orange-gold tone add a touch of aesthetic completeness to what is, by all measures, a coin of the utmost importance and desirability within the French numismatic series.

From the Paramount Collection

Metal: Gold
Diameter: 37mm

More information about French Coins. See also: France World Coin Nationality.

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