France (1436) ecu d'or Fr-307
The first specimen was lot 20382 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Philadelphia, August 2018), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE. Ecu d'Or a La Couronne, ND (1st emission, 28 January 1436). Toulouse Mint. Charles VII (1422-61). NGC MS-62. Identifiable as a product of the Toulouse mint by the dot along the segmented border under the "L" of "KAROLVS". Boldly detailed for the grade with superior luster in the fields. A few errant marks over the reverse surfaces preclude a finer designation."
The second specimen was lot 20381 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Philadelphia, August 2018), where it sold for $1,440. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Ecu d'Or a La Couronne, ND (1st emission, 28 January 1436). Charles VII (1422-61). NGC MS-64. A first emission striking due to the presence of crosses at the beginning of the legends on the obverse and reverse. A fabulous example of the type, struck on a nice round flan with full legends on both sides, beaming luster and loads of eye appeal." This coin was issued before the modern system of mintmarks was introduced by Francis I in 1540. Prior to that date, mints used various secret marks to identify and date their product. This otherwise undated and unmintmarked coin is thereby noted as being produced by the Toulouse mint (later mintmark "M") as part of the first emission of January 1436. The second specimen lacks the secret mark so cannot be identified as to mint. Duplessy notes this coin had a face value of 25 sols tournois at the time of issue. Six emissions are recorded for this type:
- 1st emission (January 1436, shown here): 3.49 g, 1.000 fine gold, value 25 sols;
- 2nd emission (August 1445): 3.47 g, .989 fine gold;
- 3rd emission (January 1447): 3.47 g, .979 fine gold, value raised to 27 sols, 6 deniers;
- 4th emission (May 1447): 3.47 g, .989 fine gold;
- 5th emission (January 1448): 3.47 g, .979 fine gold;
- 6th emission (May 1450): 3.47 g, 0.963 fine gold.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.49 g, 1.000 fine gold, the first specimen 3.43 gms, the second specimen 3.38 gms.
Catalog reference: Fr-307; Dupl-511; Ciani-633.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio and Chris Chatigny, The August 2018 Philadelphia ANA Auction: World Coins and Selections from the El Dorado Collection of Colombian Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
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