France 1576-L teston

Stack's Bowers November 2023 Collector's Choice sale, lot 73312

This specimen was lot 73312 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2023), where it did not sell. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Teston, 1576-L. Bayonne Mint. Henry III. PCGS EF-40." This is the first teston struck for Henry III to bear his effigy and name instead of his dead brother Charles IX. It was struck 1575-77 and was worth 14 sols, six deniers tournois, an increase from the prior 12 sols tournois. It comes with the king's bust in a ruffed collar (Dupl-1126) or a flat collar (Dupl-1126A). Note the date is in Roman numerals.

Recorded mintage: 77,520.

Specification: 9.598 g, 0.899 fine silver.

Catalog reference: Dupl-1126, Sb 4654 (twelve examples reported).

Source:

• 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, November 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancient & World Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.

Link to:

• 1575-B teston
• 1575-M teston
• 1575-9 teston
• 1576-D douzain aux deux H
• 1576-M douzain
• 1576-9 quart franc au col plat
• 1576-A teston
• 1576-G teston
• 1576-M teston
• 1576-A franc au col plat
• 1576-B franc au col plat
• 1576-F franc au col plat
• 1576-T franc au col plat
• Coins and currency dated 1576
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)