France 1628-F 1/8 ecu
This specimen was lot 1780 in Jean Elsen sale 164 (Brussels, March 2026), where it sold for €80 (about US$111 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIII (1610-1643), AR huitième d'écu de Navarre, 1628 F, Saint-Palais. D/ Croix fleurdelisée. R/ Écu couronné, parti France et Navarre, entre V-III. Extrêmement rare. Flan court. presque Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIII, 1610-43, silver eighth écu of Navarre of 1628, Saint-Palais mint. Obverse: floriate cross; reverse: crowned impaled arms of France and Navarre divide the value. Extremely rare, tight flan, about Very Fine.)"
There is also an eighth écu of France and Béarn, which has a reverse with quartered arms (Dr/4 № 116). This denomination, struck until 1651, is much scarcer than the accompanying quarter écu. The missing tops of the letters in the legends suggests that this example was clipped but the weight indicates otherwise.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.85 g, 0.833 fine silver, 24-26 mm diameter, this specimen 4,63 g.
Catalog reference: KM 45, Dr/4 № 115 (unlisted date), Dupl. 1337; Gad. 25; L4L 25; Clairand 32131.
- 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), 2nd édition. Paris: AFPN, 1998.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
- [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.
Link to: