France 1557-N henri d'or
This specimen was lot 40262 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $9,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Henri d'Or, 1557-N. Montpellier Mint. Henry II. NGC MS-63. Variety with larger breastplate. The single finest certified on the NGC population report. This nicely preserved and attractive survivor offers bold central devices, though some weakness is noticed in the legends and the lower-outer central design elements of the reverse. The surfaces displaying an attractive golden yellow coloration while the protected areas of the legends exhibit richer orange patina that adds to its pleasing appearance. A choice example of the type certain to be a welcome addition to the next collection it enters." This type was struck at numerous mints 1550-62. It had a face value of fifty sols tournois, the same as the écu d'or. The denomination was continued after his death in 1559 by his teenage sons, Francis II and Charles IX. One example of this date is reported in Sombart[2].
Recorded mintage: est. 1,400, including a few doubles and demis[2].
Specification: 3.65 g, .958 fine gold, this specimen 3.65 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-368; Dupl-972A; Sb-4976.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- [2]Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The August 2021 ANA sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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