Flanders 1669 2 patagon Dav-4493
This specimen was lot 1005 in Jean Elsen sale 115 (Brussels, December 2012) where it sold for €3800 (about US$5,800 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"VLAANDEREN, Graafschap, Karel II (1665-1700), AR patagon, 1669, Brugge. Op dubbel gewicht geslagen. Droit: Gekroond stokkenkruis met vuurijzer tussen het jaartal en het juweel van het Gulden Vlies. Revers: Gekroond wapenschild omringd door de keten van het Gulden Vlies. Uiterst Zeldzaam. Ex HSA 1215. Zeer Fraai à Prachtig. (County of Flanders, Charles II (1665-1700), silver patagon of 1669, Bruges mint, double weight. Obverse: Burgundian cross below a crown, with the jewels of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Reverse: crowned arms, Order of the Golden Fleece around. Extremely rare, very fine to 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 Bruges mint 1666-80, 1683-92. This is an extremely rare double patagon struck for presentation; a search of the auction archives shows that none have been offered since this 2012 sale (as of July 2025). A very similar coin was struck for Brabant. The SCWC notes the Flemish issues as the most common, followed by the Brabant issue, tho none are plentiful today. The series is plagued by bad planchets and poor strikes, reducing their appeal to collectors.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 56.20 g, 0.875 fine silver; this specimen is 56,23 g.
Catalog reference: G.H., 350-4a; Delm-344a, Dav-4493, KM 63 (single patagon).
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
- 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 115: Collection Huntington, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2012.
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