Brabant 1585 lion d'or Fr-78
This specimen was lot 790 in Jean Elsen sale 121 (Brussels, June 2014), where it sold for €7,500 (about US$12,013 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRABANT, Duché, Les Etats de Brabant (1584-1585), AV lion d'or, 1585, Anvers. Droit: ANTIQVA VIRTVTE ET FIDE Lion assis à gauche sous un dais gothique entre deux briquets. Au-dessus: MO- BRA. Revers: Ecu de Bourgogne posé sur une croix fleuronnée. Provient de Jean Elsen, mai 1984. Extrêmement Rare. presque Superbe. (duchy of Brabant, States of Brabant (1584-85), gold "lion d'or" of 1585, Antwerp mint. Obverse: loin beneath a Gothic arch between two jewels, "MO[NETA] BRA[BANTIAE]" below. Reverse: arms of Burgundy over a floriate cross. From Jean Elsen in 1984, extremely rare, about extremely fine.)
Après la fuite du duc d'Anjou, les Etats de Brabant et de Flandre reprirent les rênes du pouvoir sans reconnaître de nouveau prince. La frappe de nouvelles monnaies d'or et d'argent fut décidée: lion et demi-lion d'or, écus et demi-écus en argent appelés "Robustus". Ces pièces furent frappées dans l'atelier d'Anvers alors que la ville était assiégée par Alexandre Farnèse. Elle capitula le 17 août 1585, après un siège de plus d'un an et une résistance héroïque dirigée par Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde. Sa chute marqua le complet rétablissement de l'autorité espagnole dans les Pays-Bas méridionaux. Pour prendre la ville, Alexandre Farnèse dut fermer l'Escaut par un immense pont de bateaux que les assiégés tentèrent en vain de briser. Provient de Jean Elsen, mai 1984. (After the flight of the duke of Anjou, the States of Brabant and Flanders retook the reigns of powers without looking for a new prince. The striking of new gold and silver coins was decided, including a lion d'or and half lion d'or and écu and half écu in silver called "Robustus." These pieces were struck in Antwerp while the town was besieged by Alexander Farnese. Antwerp surrendered on August 17, 1585, after a siege of one year and a heroic resistance directed by Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde. The fall marked the complete reestablishment of Spanish authority in the southern Low Countries. To take the city, Alexander Farnese closed the Scheldt estuary with an immense pontoon bridge which the besieged townspeople tried in vain to break.)"
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 eventually returned to king Philip. The Spanish Hapsburgs ruled Brabant until 1700, fending off repeated attempts by the king of France to annex it. The area is now part of Belgium.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold, this specimen 4,12 g.
Catalog reference: W-800; Delm-128, Fr-78.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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.
- Delmonte, A., Le Bénélux D'or, Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman N.V., 1964, with supplements to 1977.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 121, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2014.
Link to:
- Flanders (1583-84) lion d'or Fr-217
- 1584 lion d'or, States Revolt, Antwerp mint
- 1585 5 sols Robustus, Antwerp mint
- 1585 demi-écu Robustus, Antwerp mint
- 1585 écu Philippe, Antwerp mint
- 1585 couronne d'or, Bruges mint
- 1586 écu Philippe, Antwerp mint
- 1587 liard, Antwerp mint
- Coins and currency dated 1585
- return to coins of Netherlands, Spanish