France 1599-L 1/4 ecu
This specimen was part of lot 1515 in Jean Elsen sale 147 (Brussels, June 2021), which sold for €125 (about US$183 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri IV (1589-1610), lot de 2 p.: quart d'écu, 1590 et 1599L, Bayonne. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Henry IV, 1589-1610, lot of two quarter écus: 1590 and 1599, Bayonne mint. Very Fine.)"
This specimen was struck by the hammer during the reign of Henry IV, founder of the Bourbon dynasty (1589-1793). It is a product of the Bayonne mint (mintmark "L"). This was the largest silver coin regularly struck in France prior to the introduction of milled coinage in the 1640's.
Recorded mintage: 134,165 + 62,975 (two mintmasters known for this date).
Specification: 9.71 g, 0.917 fine silver.
Catalog reference: Dupl-1224, Sb-4686.
- 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 147: Monnaies, Médailles et Décorations, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2021.
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