France 1553-A teston
The first specimen was lot 1237 in Jean Elsen sale 120 (Brussels, March 2014), where it sold for €500 (about US$822 including buyer's fees. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri II (1547-1559), AR teston au moulin, 1553 A, Paris. 3e type. Droit: Tête l. à droite. Revers: Ecu de France couronné. Rare. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Henry II (1547-59), silver milled teston of 1553, Paris mint, third type. Obverse: laureate head to right; reverse: crowned arms of France. Rare, fine to very fine.)"
The portrait is of Henry II (r. 1547-59). Milled coinage was experimental in the sixteenth century and would not be generally adopted in France until the reform of 1640-42. These milled testons, tho not rare, bring a premium because they are much better made than those struck by the hammer. The third specimen was lot 74640 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $408. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Teston, 1553-A. Paris Mint. Henry II. PCGS AU-53. From the Richard August Collection."
Recorded mintage: est. 221,697 plus 180,846 of the teston à la tête nue, struck by the hammer.
Specification: .899 fine silver, 9.59 g, this specimen 9,18 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-989; Ci-1279; Laf-827, Sb 4584. The third specimen is Dupl-983; Ciani-1266.
- 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.
- Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, Vente Publique 120, Brussels: Jean Elsen & ses Fils, S.A., 2014.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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