France 1642-N ecu d'or

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Jean Elsen sale 140, lot 697

This specimen was lot 697 in Jean Elsen sale 140 (Brussels, March 2019), where it sold for €900 (about US$1,199 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIII (1610-1643), AV écu d'or au soleil, 1642N, Montpellier. Frappé au marteau. Avec cercle intérieur au droit et au revers. D/ Ecu de France couronné, sous un soleil. Légende débutant à 6h. R/ Croix anillée et fleurdelisée. La légende débutant à 3h. Très rare Petites griffes. Très Beau à Superbe. (kingdom of France, Louis XIII, 1610-43, gold écu of the sunburst of 1642, Montpellier mint, struck by the hammer, with inner circle on obverse and reverse. Obverse: crowned arms of France, under a sunburst; reverse: floriate and voided cross. The legend begins at 3 o'clock. Very rare, minor scratches, Very Fine - Extremely Fine.)"

Shown is a écu d'or au marteau (hammered gold écu) struck at the Montpellier mint in the last years before the switch to milled coinage in the 1640's. This type was struck at numerous mints 1611-43, i.e., Louis' entire reign. These coins were usually struck with the hammer and were supposed to be phased out with the introduction of milled coinage in 1640 but écus d'or are known dated as late as 1654.

Recorded mintage: est. 3,400.

Specification: 3.37 g, .958 fine gold, plain edge, this specimen 3,39 g.

Catalog reference: KM 41.13, Dr/4 № 1 (reported not confirmed), Dupl-1282A; Gad-55 (hors cote); L4L 1 (hors cote).

Source:

  • 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 140, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2019.

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