France 1591-K 1/2 franc

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Jean Elsen sale 164, lot 1779
JE164-1779r.jpg

This specimen was lot 1779 in Jean Elsen sale 164 (Brussels, March 2026), where it sold for €300 (about US$418 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, La Ligue (1589-1596), AR demi-franc, 1591 ·K, Saint-Lizier (point 5e). Au nom d'Henri IV (sic). D/ B. l. et cuir. à d. R/ Croix feuillue et fleurdelisée, H en coeur. La légende débutant à 3h. Rare. Flan légèrement fendu. Intéressante variété, dont la légende a été retravaillée pour y intégrer un quatrième "I" afin de former "HENRICVS IIII". Il s'agit probablement d'un ajout volontaire et non pas d'une frappe tréflée, la place ayant été créée dans la légende pour y intégrer un chiffre plus long. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Catholic League, 1589-96, silver half franc of 1596, Saint-Lizier mint, struck in the name of Henry IV. Obverse: laureate and armored bust right; reverse: leafed and floriate cross, an "H" in the center, with the legend beginning at 3 o'clock. Rare, light tooling, Fine - Very Fine. An interesting variety, where the legend has been reworked to integrate a fourth "I" into the king's title. It was probably intentional as the other letters are spaced to make room.)"

Wikipedia comments, "Saint-Lizier (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ lizje]; Occitan: Sent Líser) is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France, situated on the river Salat." Saint-Lizier was most likely a clandestine mint operated by the League in opposition to Henry IV. The "K" mintmark properly belonged to Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast. Sombart reported five examples of this date, the most numerous of the three dates known.

Recorded mintage: unknown (St. Lizier mint reported for 1590-92).

Specification: 7.09 g, 0.833 fine silver; this specimen 5,48 g.

Catalog reference: Sb 4716, Dupl. 1161; Laf. 1003.

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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 164: Monnaies du duché de Brabant et du royaume de Belgique, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2026.

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