France 1629-D 1/2 ecu d'or

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from Heritage sale 61253, lot 99102
H61253-99102r.jpg

This specimen was lot 99102 in Heritage sale 61253 (Dallas, January 2022), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[1] noted,

"France: Extremely Rare Mint-Date Combination Plated in Les monnaies des quatre Rois Louis. Louis XIII 1/2 Ecu d'Or au soleil 1629-D UNC Details (Scratches) NGC, Lyon mint. LVDOVICVS • XIII • D • G • F • ET • NAV • R • 1629, small sun above crowned royal arms of France / G • CHRISTVS • REGNAT • VINCIT • ET • IP • 1629, cross anillée fleurdelisée with D at center. By all indications a rather elusive mint-date combination, seemingly absent from auction records of the last several decades, and altogether missing from the Bordeaux, Gallia, Briand, and Sanssouci collections. Assigned an R4 rarity by Deswelle, Fabre, and Wattier in their Les monnaies des quatre Rois Louis, they additionally plate this very coin (despite the relatively poor photo quality). Even with the noted scratches, highly attractive on the whole, and sure to pique the interests of the serious French collector. Ex. Jean Vinchon Numismatique (December 1976, Lot 212)."

This type was struck at numerous mints 1611-43, i.e., Louis' entire reign. The Paris mint seems to have been the most prolific issuer as its products are priced lower than other mints. These coins were struck with the hammer and were supposed to be phased out with the introduction of milled coinage in 1640 but demi-écus d'or are known dated as late as 1654.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 1.68 g, 0.958 fine gold, this specimen 1.70 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 7, KM 40.5, Fr-398, Ciani-Unl., Dupl-1283, L4L-2 (R4; this coin illustrated on pg. 71).

Source:

  • [2]Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
  • Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
  • Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
  • Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
  • [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, The Brittany Collection of French Coins Showcase Auction #61253, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.

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