France 1560-Z teston
This specimen was lot 1621 in Sincona sale 47 (Zürich, May 2018), where it sold for 200 CHF (about US$240 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANKREICH, Konigreich, Francois II. 1559-1560. Teston 1560 Z, Grenoble. Sehr schön. (kingdom of France, Francis II, 1559-60, teston of 1560, Grenoble mint. Very fine.)"
This teston was struck with the titles of Henry II (1547-1559), but produced at the beginning of Charles IX's reign to satisfy the need to for circulating coinage. The Grenoble mint used a reverse peculiar to Dauphiné, a practice which continued until the reign of Louis XIV. After 1562, the bust of Charles IX was used.
Recorded mintage: est. 82,136 including large bust (shown here) and small bust. A scarce date of a scarce type.
Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9.46 g.
Catalog reference: Duplessy 1337, Ciani 1299, Sb 4596.
- 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]Richter, Jürg, Auction 47, World Coins and Medals, Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2018.
Link to: