Brabant 1559(s) ecu Dav-8626
This specimen was lot 494 in Jean Elsen sale 158 (Brussels, March 2024), where it sold for €3,000 (about US$3,901 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRABANT, Duché, Philippe II (1555-1598), AR écu Philippe, 1559, Maastricht. Au titre de roi d'Angleterre. D/ B. cuir. à g. PHILIPPVS dans la légende. R/ Ecu couronné sur une croix de Bourgogne, entre deux briquets, portant le bijou de la Toison d'or. Très rare. Flan large. Nettoyé. Double frappe au droit. Très Beau/Superbe. (duchy of Brabant, Philip II, 1555-98, silver écu Philippe of 1559, Maastricht mint, with the title of king of England. Obverse: armored bust right with "PHILIPPVS" in the legend; reverse: crowned arms over a Burgundian cross between two firesteels supporting the jewel of the Golden Fleece. Very rare, large planchet, cleaned, double struck on the obverse, very Fine/Extremely Fine.)"
Brabant, originally part of the Burgundian inheritance, fell to the Hapsburgs on the death of the last duke of Burgundy in 1477. On the emperor Charles's abdication in 1555, the Hapsburg inheritance was divided between the Austrian and Spanish branches, and the Netherlands passed to Philip II, a dour and unbending Catholic. His attempts to extirpate heresy caused the northern provinces to rise in revolt and, after many years of struggle, secure their independence as the United Provinces. The southern provinces, including Brabant, remained Catholic and loyal to king Philip. This type is known with and without "ANG REX" in the obverse legend, marking the king's brief marriage to Mary of England. It was struck at Antwerp and Maastricht (shown here).
Reported Mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 33,53 g.
Catalog reference: Dav-8626, G.H. 210-2a; Delm-19; W. -; VH 253.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1484-1600, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1977.
- 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 158, Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.
Link to:
- Brabant (1557-60) real d'or Fr-64
- 1557 écu Philippe, bust left, Antwerp mint
- 1557 écu Philippe, bust left, Maastricht mint
- 1558 écu Philippe, bust left, "ANGZREX", Antwerp mint
- 1558 écu Philippe, bust left, Maastricht mint
- Batenburg 1559 daalder Dav-8558
- 1559 écu Philippe, bust left, Antwerp mint
- 1559 écu Philippe, bust right, "ANG·Z·REX", Antwerp mint
- 1561 écu Philippe, bust left, Antwerp mint
- 1562 écu Philippe, bust right, Antwerp mint
- Coins and currency dated 1559