France 1584-A ecu d'or
This specimen was lot 1049 in Goldberg's NY International sale 58 (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $1,860. The catalog description[1] noted, "France. Henri III (1574-1589). Gold Ecu d'or, 1584-A. Type 3. Paris mint. Crowned arms. Rev. Floriated cross. In PCGS holder graded MS 61." This coin is called the écu d'or au soleil in Duplessy with a face value of fifty sols tournois. Four major variations exist: type 1 (Sb 4924), with "P·REX" in the king's title; type 2 (Sb 4928), with the king's titles starting at the top; type 3 (Sb 4932, shown here), with the king's title starting at the bottom, and type 4 (Sb 4936) with the king's title on the cross side.
Recorded mintage: 6,510[2].
Specification: 3.37 g, 0.958 fine gold, plain edge, this specimen 3.27 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-386; Dup 1123; Sb 4932 (2 ex.).
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- 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.
- [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, Stephen Harvey and Vera Kan, Goldberg NY International 2023 Sale, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2022.
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