FRANCE - NAPOLEON - BRONZE 100 FRANCS PATTERN 1807 VASSALLO - PCGS SP64BN - TOP POP

Napoleon I (1804-1814), bronze pattern for the 100 francs, 1807, known as the Vassallo pattern, struck at Genoa.

Obverse: bare head of Napoleon right, signed VASSALLO below the bust, legend NAPOLEON EMPEREUR. Reverse: crowned eagle with outspread wings, perched on a thunderbolt, legend EMPIRE FRANÇAIS and date 1807 in exergue.

Specimen strike, attractive glossy brown patina. Only minor spots and fingerprints in the fields. Specimen.

Top Pop: this is the finest example graded to date!

Note: the Vassallo patterns originated as a private initiative at the Genoa mint, after its reopening under the Empire. Inscribed in French and denominated in francs, they were intended for the national coinage. Several varieties are known, making them a sought-after field for collectors of patterns and of Napoleonic numismatics.