France 1578-E ecu d'or
This specimen was lot 409 in Sincona sale 69 (Zürich, May 2021), where it sold for 1,500 CHF (about US$1,991 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANKREICH. Henri III. 1574-1589. Ecu d'or au soleil 1578 E, Tours. Sehr selten. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. Überdurchschnittliche Erhaltung. (kingdom of France, Henry III, 1574-89, gold écu of the sunburst of 1578, Tours mint. Very rare, Very fine-extremely fine, Extraordinary condition.)"
This coin is called the écu d'or au soleil with a face value of sixty sols tournois and is noted with many variations in obverse and reverse legends. This type was the standard gold coin of France prior to the introduction of the milled louis d'or in 1641. Sombart[3] notes this as a rare date.
Reported Mintage: 20,161[3].
Specification: 3.37 g, 0.958 fine gold, plain edge., this specimen 3.35 g.
Catalog reference: Sb 4932, Duplessy 1121. Fr-386.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- [1]Jürg Richter, Auction 69, World Coins and Medals, Bullion Auction and Chinese Banknotes, Part 1, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2021.
- [3]Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
Link to:
- 1577-B écu d'or au soleil
- 1578-A franc au col plat
- 1578-D franc au col plat
- 1578-G franc au col plat
- 1578-P franc au col plat
- 1578-T franc au col plat
- 1578-A quart d'écu
- 1578-F écu d'or au soleil, Angers mint
- 1578-H écu d'or au soleil
- 1578-K écu d'or au soleil, Bordeaux mint
- 1578-M écu d'or au soleil, Toulouse mint
- 1578-P écu d'or au soleil, Dijon mint
- Coins and currency dated 1578
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)