France (1305) mantelet d'or Fr-257
This specimen was lot 925 in Jean Elsen sale 145 (Brussels, September 2020), where it sold for €40,000 (about US$56,997 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Philippe IV le Bel (1285-1314), AV mantelet d'or (petit royal debout), avril 1305. D/ Le roi deb. de f., vêtu d'un manteau, ten. un sceptre cr., entre deux lis. R/ Croix fleurdelisée dans un quadrilobe cantonné de trèfles. Extrêmement rare Petites griffes au droit. Superbe. L'exemplaire de la collection Castellane, Paris, 1886 et de la collection Marchéville, Paris, 22 novembre 1927, 236 (FDC). Provient d'Argenor, 14 avril 2000, 184. Voir l'agrandissement en couverture. (kingdom of France, Philip IV the Fair, 1285-1314, undated gold mantelet, struck April 1305. Obverse: the king standing, wearing a mantle and holding a scepter between two lilies; reverse: floriate cross in a quadilobe cantonned with sprigs. Extremely rare, minor scratches on the obverse, Extremely Fine.)"
Ce petit royal, appelé aussi florin, petit florin ou mantelet (florenus ad mintellum) fut créé en avril 1305 pour succéder à la chaise d'or, au cours de 11 sous parisis forts. Son émission fut interrompue en 1306 et reprise en février 1307. C'est l'une des monnaies d'or les plus rares de la série royale française. (The small royal, little florin or mantelet was created in April 1305 to replace the chaise d'or with the value of eleven heavy sols parisis. Its issue was interrupted in 1306 and restarted in February 1307. It is the rarest gold coin in the French royal series.)"
This petit royal, worth 13¾ sols tournois, was probably intended to trade fro a florin or ducat. Later, the florin was reduced in weight and fineness but the Venetian ducat maintained its standard until the late eighteenth century.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.49 g, 1.000 fine gold, this specimen 3,60 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-211; Ci. 198; Laf. 215.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome I, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- 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.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 145, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
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