Numismatics, coins and gold bars

French market leader in numismatics auctions, Beaussant-Lefèvre & Associés has been working for nearly 30 years with Thierry Parsy, court-appointed expert for the Paris Court of Appeal and the High Court of Paris in ancient coins and medals.

Our auction house organizes two to three dedicated sales per year, paying close attention to the selection and provenance of the lots. We take great pride in showcasing collections built with passion, allowing them to find new collectors.

This specialty also offers the opportunity to sell investment gold, gold bars, or collectible banknotes.

Partnering with an auction house well-versed in this field and working closely with a renowned expert such as Thierry Parsy ensures expert guidance and precise descriptions regarding dating and condition, offering strong guarantees and real added value for buyers. As a result, it is not uncommon for nearly 100% of lots to be sold, often far exceeding estimates, as was the case in our last three sales in April, June, and July 2022.

Among our house’s recent remarkable auction results, we note for example the world record of €104,160 for a 5 Franc gold coin bearing the effigy of Henri V from the collection of H.R.H. Fouad Farouk, the last King of Egypt, achieved on November 16, 2021, or the recent world record achieved on April 7, 2022 of €310,000 for a rare eight Louis d’or coin with laurelled head struck in Paris in 1640.

On June 30 and July 1, Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés auctioned two major numismatic collections listed in the catalog as the “L. Collection” and “J.R. Collection”; over 600 lots were offered, totaling €1.8 million, with 99% of the lots sold.

On the first day, several ancient and royal coins doubled or even multiplied their estimates by 8, as was the case for lot 234, a rare double Louis d’or with a low estimate of €3,000 that sold for €24,000 (hammer price), or €30,000 including fees.

The second day focused on a rare collection of historical medals assembled by a passionate collector and rediscovered during an appraisal. Over 300 lots of commemorative medals retraced the history of France from the 17th to the 20th century, as well as that of other major European nations such as the Netherlands, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, Sweden, and Austria.

The sale began with two preemptions by the National Museum of the Château de Pau for its coins and medals department (lots 299 and 305). Very rare on the auction market, all the medals found buyers, and some fetched up to five times their estimates, such as a rare gold medal from the Rouen Chamber of Commerce estimated at €6,000–8,000 (lot 381) and acquired for €50,000 (including fees).

On Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at the Hôtel Drouot, a significant collection of ancient gold coins in remarkable condition from the “collection of an aesthete” (lots 1 to 30) totaled €489,250 (including fees).

Following this, from various collectors, Greek coins, Gallic coins, as well as royal gold coins from France and abroad were auctioned.

In this second part of the sale, one coin in particular—featured on the cover of the catalog—was highly anticipated and attracted international collectors: a rare gold stater of the Parisii Class V in exceptional condition, from the Puteaux hoard (lot 68), sold for €90,000 including fees, setting a world record.

The success of this sale, following previous ones (November 16, 2021: €2.4M, April 7, 2022: €2M, June 30 and July 1, 2022: €1.8M), confirms Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés, assisted by Thierry Parsy, as a leading French firm in this specialty.

In 2021, the French Auction Market Authority ranked Beaussant Lefèvre & Associés as the number one numismatics auction house in France.

Whether to enhance your collection or sell wisely, consulting with professionals is essential. Our auction house and our expert are at your disposal for any inquiry.