Brabant 1499 toison d'argent
This specimen was lot 72137 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, June 2020), where it sold for $504. The catalog description[1] noted, "BELGIUM. Brabant. Toison d'Argent, 1499. Antwerp Mint. Philip the Handsome. NGC AU-55. Obverse: Crowned coat of arms over cross fleuree; Reverse: Order of the Golden Fleece suspended from two briquets. A decently struck survivor on a broad flan with complete legends and small portions of weakness in the central devices as is typical for issues from this series. An attractively toned example of the type displaying rich old cabinet patina offering good eye appeal." Toison d'argent, meaning "silver fleece", refers to the sheep's fleece shown on the reverse. Said fleece was a badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece, a chivalric order founded by the dukes of Burgundy, who ruled Brabant until their extinction in 1477. The Hapsburgs adopted the badge. This very early dated coin is known for 1496-99.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.40 g, 0.879 fine silver, this specimen 3.34 g.
Catalog reference: Levinson II-138.
- Levinson, Robert, The Early Dated Coins of Europe, 1234-1500: An Illustrated Catalogue and Guide to dated medieval coinage. Clifton, NJ: Coin & Currency Institute, 2007.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The June 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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