France 1561-Z teston
This specimen was lot 746 in Jean Elsen sale 132 (Brussels, March 2017), where it sold for €120 (about US$152 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Charles IX (1560-1574), AR teston du Dauphiné, 1561Z, Grenoble. A l'effigie et au titre d'Henri II. D/ B. cuir. à d. R/ Ecu couronné, écartelé de France-Dauphiné, entre deux H couronnés. Griffes. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Charles IX (1560-74), silver teston of Dauphiné of 1561, Grenoble mint, with the bust and title of Henry II. Obverse: cuirassed bust to right; reverse: crowned arms of Dauphiné and France divide two crowned "H's". Scratches, fine to 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. Note the dot below the mintmark "Z"; this was done only in 1561.
Recorded mintage: est. 101,270, including small bust (shown here) and large bust; the most common date of a scarce type.
Specification: 9.59 g, 0.899 fine silver, this specimen 9,22 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-1054; Ci. 1354; Laf. 886, 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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 132, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2017.
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