France 1580-H 1/4 ecu
This specimen was lot 1735 in Goldberg sale 128 (Los Angeles, June 2022), where it sold for $200. The catalog description[1] noted, "France. ¼ Ecu, 1580-H (La Rochelle). Henri III, 1574-1589. Crowned shield dividing II- II. Reverse: Cross Fleuree. Toned. The only one graded at PCGS. PCGS graded EF-40." This type was struck by the hammer at numerous mints 1578-91. Crudely made, they are very scarce in choice condition. Most mints, including La Rochelle, placed the king's titles on the cross side but a few put them on the shield side (Sb 4666). Sombart[2] reports eight known in his survey, making this a somewhat common date. It had a face value of fifteen sols tournois.
Recorded mintage: 34,605[2].
Specification: 9.71 g, 0.917 fine silver, plain edge, 27-29 mm diameter, this specimen 9.57 g.
Catalog reference: Sb 4662, Dupl-1133; Ciani-1438.
- 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.
- [2]Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Stephen Harvey and Vera Liu, Goldberg Sale 128: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2022.
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