Artois 1582 1/5 ecu

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Jean Elsen sale 115, lot 663
Artois 1582 1-5 ecu rev JElsen 115-663.jpg
Artois in 1559

This specimen was lot 663 in Jean Elsen sale 115 (Brussels, December 2012) where it sold for €1500 (about US$2,289 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"ARTOIS, Comté, Philippe II (1555-1598), AR cinquième d'écu Philippe, 1582, Arras. Avec un lion comme différent, séparant la date. Droit : PHS D G HISP Z REX CO ATREB B. cuirassé à droite. Revers: DOMINVS MIHI ADIVTOR Ecu couronné sur une croix de Bourgogne, entre deux briquets, portant le bijou de la Toison d'or. De la plus haute rareté. Ex HSA 1084. presque Très Beau. (county of Artois, Philip II (1555-98), silver fifth écu of 1582, Arras mint, with a lion dividng the date. Obverse: armored bust to right; reverse: crowned arms over a Burgundian cross with the jewels of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Extremely rare, about very fine.)"

This type represents a very early experiment with decimal coinage, over a century before Russia adopted her hundred kopeks = one ruble. Twentieth, tenth and fifth écus were minted in Artois, Brabant, Flanders, Hainaut and Tournai. Tournai seems to have been the largest issuer of this denomination. Artois was conquered and annexed to France soon after this coin was issued.

Reported Mintage: unknown.

Specification: 6.80 g, 0.833 fine silver, this specimen 6,53 g.

Catalog reference: G.H., 212-9a; Dewismes, 147.

Source:

  • van Gelder, H. Enno, and Marcel Hoc, Les Monnaies des pays-Bas Bourguignons et Espagnols, 1434-1713, Amsterdam, J. Schulman, 1960, with supplement of 1964.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 115: Collection Huntington, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2012.

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