France (1515-40)-Tours 1/2 teston
This specimen was lot 1070 in Jean Elsen sale 141 (Brussels, June 2019), where it sold for €320 (about US$424 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, François Ier (1515-1547), AR demi-teston, s.d., Tours. 5e type. D/ B. à d., coiffé d'une couronne fermée. R/ Ecu de France couronné dans un polylobe. Très rare. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Francis I, 1515-47, undated silver half teston, Tours mint, fifth type. Obverse: bust right, wearing a closed crown; reverse: crowned arms of France in a polylobe. Very rare, Fine - Very Fine.)"
This type was struck only at Tours, prior to the introduction of letter mintmarks in 1540.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.799 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 4,76 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-799; Ci. -; Laf. 656.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 141, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2019.
Links to:
- (1515-40) demi-teston, Lyon mint
- (1528-40) demi-teston du Dauphiné, Crémieu mint
- (1515-40) teston, Rouen mint
- (1515-40) teston, Lyon mint
- (1515) écu d'or au soleil, Lyon mint, plain reverse
- (1515) écu d'or au soleil, Lyon mint, crowns and "F's" on the reverse
- (1515-28) écu d'or au soleil du Dauphiné
- (1515-47) écu d'or au soleil de Bretagne, Rennes mint
- (1540-47)-A demi-teston, Paris mint
- 1554-A demi-teston au moulin
- Coins and currency dated 1515
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)