The French Second Republic began on 25 february 1848, following the "february revolution" which put an end to the reign of Louis Philippe. The new republican period, however, had a short duration, because already in the first presidential elections (december 1848) Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (nephew of Napoleon I and clearly interested at the conquest of the power), was elected. With a coup d'etat, which took place on 2 december 1851, Louis Napoleon managed to delegitimize the Assembly, then issued a new constitution (14 january 1852), inspired by that of the previous Napoleonic period, and formally re-established the Empire, assuming the title of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French (2 december 1852).

During the Second Republic 2 series of coins were issued, the first with the bust of Ceres (personification of the Republic) on the Obverse, subject chosen through a competition held in 1848, composed by values ​​of 1 cent (in bronze), 20 and 50 cents (in silver), 1 2 and 5 Francs (also in silver), 10 and 20 Francs (in gold); the second serie featured the effigie of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte on the Obverse, was coined in 1852 after the coup d'état and was composed of the values ​​of 50 cents, 1 Franc and 5 Francs (in silver), in addition to the pieces of 20 Francs coined in gold. To the two series are added the values ​​of the so-called "provisional type", 5 Francs Hercules (in silver) and 20 Francs Genius (in gold), minted at the beginning of the Republican period.

Compared to previous historical periods, the coins of the Second Republic were made in a smaller number of mints, characterized by their own mint mark, ie:

• A - Paris
• BB - Strasbourg
• D - Lyon
• K - Bordeaux

Below is the list of French Second Republic coins:

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