The Second French Empire began on 2 december 1852, when Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, formerly President of the Republic between 1848 and 1852, became Emperor of the French, with the name Napoleon III.

During the imperial period two series of coins were made, both with the effigy of the Emperor on the obverse, which was surrounded by a laurel wreath in the second serie. For both emissions, were coined pieces in bronze (coins of 1, 2, 5 and 10 cents), in silver (pieces of 20 and 50 cents, 1, 2 and 5 Francs), and gold (5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Francs).

The French State produced the coins in a considerable number of mints, which were located on the territory of France. Each mint engraved its mint mark on the coins, ie:

• A - Paris
• B - Rouen
• BB - Strasbourg
• D - Lyon
• K - Bordeaux
• MA - Marseille
• W - Lille

The second imperial period ended on 4 september 1870 when, due the defeat of Napoleon III in the Franco-Prussian war, the republic was restored.

Below is the list of Second French Empire coins:

• 1 centesimo
• 2 centesimi
• 5 centesimi
• 10 centesimi
• 20 centesimi
• 50 centesimi
• 1 Franco
• 2 Franchi
• 5 Franchi
• 10 Franchi
• 20 Franchi
• 50 Franchi
• 100 Franchi