Brabant 1645(h) 1/4 patagon
This specimen was lot 921 in Jean Elsen sale 147 (Brussels, June 2021), where it sold for €550 (about US$804 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"BRABANT, Duché, Philippe IV (1621-1665), AR quart de patagon, 1645, Anvers. D/ Croix de Bourgogne sous une couronne, portant le bijou de la Toison d'or. R/ Ecu couronné, entouré du collier de la Toison d'or. Belle patine. Rare dans cette qualité. Superbe. (duchy of Brabant, Philip IV, 1621-65, silver quarter patagon of 1645, Antwerp mint. Obverse: Burgundian cross under a crown, bearing the jewels of the Golden Fleece; reverse: crowned arms, Order of the Golden Fleece around. Nice toning, rare in this quality, Extremely Fine.)"
Patagons were issued in the Spanish Netherlands and associated states (including the bishopric of Liège and Franche Comte) during the seventeenth century, where they competed with French écus, German talers and Dutch daalders and ducatons. The type shown here was struck at the Antwerp mint (hand mintmark, shown here) and at Brussels and Maastricht. A very similar coin was struck for Flanders. Altho the half and quarter patagons are much scarcer than the patagons, they bring less at auction. The series is plagued by bad planchets and poor strikes, reducing their appeal to collectors.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 7.03 g, 0.875 fine silver; this specimen 6,93 g.
Catalog reference: G.H. 331-1; Delm-309; W. 1009; V.H. 647, KM 54.1.
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 147: Monnaies, Médailles et Décorations, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2021.
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