Artois 1588 1/2 ecu
This specimen was lot 634 in Jean Elsen sale 141 (Brussels, June 2019), where it sold for €95 (about US$129 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ARTOIS, Comté, Philippe II (1555-1598), AR demi-écu Philippe, 1588, Arras. D/ B. cuir. à d. Avec date 8-8 séparée par le rat. R/ Ecu couronné avec écusson de Portugal en surtout, sur une croix de Bourgogne, entre deux briquets, portant le bijou de la Toison d'or. Très rare Griffes au revers. Beau. (county of Artois, Philip II, 1555-98, silver half écu Philippe of 1588, Arras mint. Obverse: armored bust right, date divided by a rat; reverse: crowned arms with the escutcheon of Portugal, over a Burgundian cross between two jewels of the Golden Fleece. Very rare, scratches on the reverse, Fine.)"
The county of Artois would be conquered by the French in the seventeenth century and Arras would become a French mint, retaining the rat mintmark.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 15,87 g.
Catalog reference: G.H. 211-9d; Dewismes 210; Delm-69; V.H. 365.
- 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 141, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2019.
Links to: