France 1573-A douzain
This specimen was lot 1391 in Sincona sale 66 (Zürich, October 2020), where it sold for 400 CHF (about US$527 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE | Kingdom | misc. Charles IX. 1560-1574. Douzain 1573 A, Paris (Moulin de Etuves). Piéfort en billon. Tranche cannelée. Selten. Sehr schön. (kingdom of France, Charles IX, 1560-74, douzain of 1573, Paris mint, piedfort in billon, reeded edge. Rare, Very fine.)"
This specimen is a pattern struck on a screw press with a reeded edge, a technology not adopted in France for production issues until the 1640's. Altho obviously circulated, this may have been struck long after the date on the coin.
Recorded mintage: est. 440,640 (original strikes).
Specification: normally 2.39 g, .240 fine silver, this specimen 26.5 mm diameter, 8.93 g.
Catalog reference: Lafaurie 938, Sb 4390.
- 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]Jürg Richter, Auction 66, Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, featuring the Claude Stritt Collection, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2020.
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