France 1617-C 1/2 franc
This specimen was lot 3972 in Goldberg sale 70 (Los Angeles, September 2012), where it sold for $195.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "France. ½ Franc, 1617-C. Louis XIII. Saint Lo mint. Toned. PCGS graded VF-30." This hammer-struck coin is a demi-franc de Saint-Lô au buste enfantin, lauré at au col fraisé (half franc of the St. Lô mint, infant bust, laureate and ruffed collar), struck during the minority of Louis XIII of France (r. 1610-43). Sorting and attributing these hammer-struck coins is difficult as the design varied with each mint and sometimes within each mint there were changes from year to year. A temptation for the counterfeiter. The mintmark "C" is below the king's bust and the date is above the "L" on the reverse. Planchet splits are normal.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 7.09 g, 0.833 fine silver, 27-29 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by Nicolas Briot.
Catalog reference: KM-77.2; Gad-39, Dr/4 № 45, Dr/2 № 35.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- [1]Ira and Larry Goldberg, Goldberg sale 70: The Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles, CA: Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, 2012.
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