France 1635-M 1/2 franc
This specimen was lot 759 in Jean Elsen sale 132 (Brussels, March 2017), where it sold for €460 (about US$583 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIII (1610-1643), AR demi-franc, 1635M, Toulouse. 10e type. D/ B. juvénile à d., l., dr. et cuir. R/ Croix fleuronnée et fleurdelisée. Très rare. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIII (1610-43), silver demi-franc of 1635, Toulouse mint, tenth type. Obverse: laureate and draped juvenile bust to right; reverse: floriate cross. Very rare, very fine.)"
Shown is a demi-franc de Toulouse, buste juvenile lauré au petit col plat struck 1626-41. The picture in Droulers shows a ruffed collar and a younger bust but notes that later dates such as this one featured an older bust of the king with a folded flat collar. The face value was originally 10 sols, 7 deniers, raised to 13 sols, 6 deniers in 1636.
Recorded mintage: 22,629, a better date but not rare.
Specification: 7.09 g, 0.833 fine silver, 29 mm diameter, plain edge; this specimen 6,99 g.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 60, Dr/2 № 55, Dupl-1322; Gad-40; L4L 37.
- Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 132, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2017.
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