France 1589-A 1/4 ecu
This specimen was lot 1133 in Jean Elsen sale 141 (Brussels, June 2019), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri III (1574-1589), AR quart d'écu, 1589A, Paris. D/ Croix fleurdelisée. R/ Ecu de France couronné, entre II-II. Très Beau à Superbe. (kingdom of France, Henry III, 1574-89, silver quarter écu of 1589, Paris mint. Obverse: floriate cross; reverse: crowned arms of France divides the value. Very Fine - Extremely Fine.)"
This quart d'écu was struck by the hammer. Introduced in the 1578, it superseded the testons and francs d'argent heretofore struck. It would be the most important silver coin of France until the milled coinage reform of the 1640's. It had a face value of 15 sols tournois.
Recorded mintage: 738,511 (including a few 1/8 écus).
Specification: 9.71 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 9,61 g.
Catalog reference: Sb-4662, Dupl-1133; Ci. 1438; Laf. 973.
- 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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 141, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2019.
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