Siege at Zara

Sale: Triton X, Lot: 977. Estimate $1500.  Closing Date: Monday, 8 January 2007.  Sold For $2800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

CROATIA, Zara. AR 9 Francs 20 Centimes (59.57 g, 11h). Siege issue. Dated 1813. Crowned imperial French eagle standing left on thunderbolt, head right, with wings displayed; ZAR to left, 1813 to right; all within diamond incuse on plain round flan; c/m: SB in incuse square / 2.0./9F 20C in two lines on tablet; all within incuse square on plain round flan. De Mey & Poindessault 853; Montenegro 86; KM 2. Good VF, lightly toned.

During the late Napoleonic era, Zara (modern-day Zadar in Croatia) was part of the Illyrian Provinces, a group of states located between Austria and the Adriatic Sea. In the early 1800s, the area was held by Austria, which was embroiled in the Napoleonic Wars. After its defeat at the Battle of Wagram, Austria ceded the territory to France in the 1809 Treaty of Schönbrunn. In an attempt to take back its lost territory, in 1813 Austria declared war on France. When the Austrian General Franz Tomassich entered the Illyrian Provinces, many Croatian soldiers abandoned their French commanders and joined him. After a 34-day siege, the Austrians succeeded in capturing Zara from the French on 6 December 1813. This piece was produced by the French garrison that held the town during the siege. A similar example, appearing in Gorny & Mosch 123 (11 March 2003), lot 4589, realized €1700.