Napoleon III, 1855-A

KM 786.1; Friedberg 569, PCGS graded MS-64

Not content to be an authoritarian Prince-President of a hamstrung French Republic, Louis-Napoleon followed in the footsteps of his uncle and engineered the proclamation of a Second French Empire with himself ruling as Emperor Napoleon III on December 2, 1852. Ironically, only his titulature needed to be changed in the previous Constitution of 1852 since it already concentrated power completely in his hands.

Paris. Head of Napoleon III right. Reverse: Crowned and mantled arms.

Ex Maison Palombo (20 October 2018), 435