France 1557-T douzain
This specimen was lot 73002 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2023), where it sold for $216. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Douzain aux Croissants, 1557-T. Nantes Mint. Henry II. NGC MS-61. A crudely made issue, as is typical for the type, with full argent surfaces and almost no toning." These thin coins are often brittle and pieces get chipped off, visible on many examples. Milled coinage was experimental in the sixteenth century and would not be generally adopted until the reform of 1640-42. This type had a face value of twelve deniers tournois, a denomination later occupied by the copper sou. It is the most common silver coin from this reign. Sombart reports none known in his survey[2], making this a rare date.
Recorded mintage: 7,200.
Specification: 2.62-2.68 g, 0.292 fine silver.
Catalog reference: Dupl-997; Roberts-3183, Sb 4380.
- 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.
- [2]Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the David Sterling Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
Link to: