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France, Consulat, Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul, 1799 - 1804
On November 10, 1799, Napoleon led a bloodless coup forcing the Directors to resign and abolish the constitution that established the French Directorate. Under the new constitution, the real power was held by the First Consul, Napoleon himself. While not declaring himself sole ruler, it was in reality a military dictatorship. The unpretentious bare-headed depiction of Napoleon on this coin seems to be modeled on the bare-headed depictions of Octavian struck after he had crushed his opponents at the Battle of Actium. Just as Octavian would soon become Augustus, Napoleon would soon become Emperor. Napoleon would rule as Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814 and again briefly in 1815 during the Hundred Days.WO95137. Gold 40 Francs, Gadoury 1080 (variety: XIA without olive), SCWC KM 652, Friedberg 479, aEF, light contact marks; 0.900 fine gold; edge lettering: * DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE (God protects France), Paris mint, weight 12.860g, maximum diameter 25.9mm, die axis 180o, 18 Apr 1803 - 1804 A.D.; obverse BONAPARTE PREMIER CONSUL., bare head left, mint masters mark (Tiolier) below; reverse REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE. (clockwise above); .rooster. AN IX. .A. (counterclockwise below), 40 FRANCS., in wreath tied at the bottom with a ribbon; SOLD
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