France 1560-M teston
This specimen was lot 1760 in Jean Elsen sale 117 (Brussels, June 2013), where it sold for €150 (about US$237 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, François II (1559-1560), AR teston, 1560 M, Toulouse. 2e type. A l'effigie et au titre de son père Henri II. Droit: B. cuirassé à droite. Revers: Ecu de France couronné, entre deux H couronnés. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Francis II (1559-60), silver teston of 1560, Toulouse mint, second type, with the effigy and in the name of Henry II. Obverse: armored bust to right; reverse: crowned arms of France between two crowned 'H's', very fine.)"
It was sold again as lot 1418 in Jean Elsen sale 136 (Brussels, March 2018), where it sold for €200 (about US$294 including buyer's fees). Duplessy lists this type for 1559-60. No coinage exists with François' portrait; Henry's bust was used until 1562.
Recorded mintage: est. 260,377, a fairly common date.
Specification: 9.59 g, 0.899 fine silver, this specimen 9.44 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-1031; Ciani-1268; Laf-865, Sb 4572.
- 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 117: Collection Jean-Jacques Symoens, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses fils, S.A., 2013.
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