France (1528-40)-Cremieu 1/2 teston
This specimen was lot 1574 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it sold for €850 (about US$1,091 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, François Ier (1515-1547), AR demi-teston du Dauphiné, s.d., Crémieu. 1er type. D/ B. couronné et cuirassé à d. R/ Champ écartelé aux armes de France et Dauphiné. Extrêmement rare. Fines griffes au droit. Belle patine. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Francis I, 1515-47, undated silver half teston of Dauphiny, Crémieu mint, first type. Obverse: crowned and armored bust right; reverse: quartered arms of France and Dauphiny. Extremely rare, fine scratches on the obverse, nice patina, Very Fine.)"
This reverse was used only in Dauphiné. It appeared on testons (Dupl-821A, Crémieu mint; Dupl-823, Montélimar and Romans mints; Dupl-825, Grenoble mint, Dupl-826, Grenoble mint) and half testons (Dupl-822, shown here; Dupl-824, Montélimar and Romans mints; Dupl-827, Grenoble mint). Montélimar and Romans struck this type 1523-28, whereupon Crémieu took over production. Duplessy does not give a date range for the Grenoble product. Crémieu used a distinct reverse legend, "NO:NOBIS:DNE:SED:NOI:TVO:DA:GLO".
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.799 g, 0.899 fine silver, this specimen 4,58 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-822; Ci. -; Laf. 684 var.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 156, Collection de Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023.
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