France 1574-& teston
This specimen was lot 1078 in Jean Elsen sale 145 (Brussels, September 2020), where it sold for €400 (about US$570 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Charles IX (1560-1574), AR teston, 1574&, Aix-en-Provence. 1er type. D/ B. l. et cuir. à g. R/ Ecu de France couronné, entre deux C couronnés. Nettoyé. presque Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Charles IX, 1560-74, silver teston of 1574, Aix mint, first type. Obverse: laureate and armored bust left; reverse: crowned arms of France between two crowned "C's". about Very Fine.)"
This type was struck 1561-74 and was worth twelve sols tournois. Note the date in Roman numerals. Nine different testons are recorded for the reign.
Recorded mintage: est. 12,265[3], a rare date.
Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9,27 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-1063; Ci. 1356; Laf. 895, Sb 4602.
- [2]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.
- [3]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 145, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
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