France 1645-X ecu d'or

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Jean Elsen sale 158, lot 1686

This specimen was lot 1686 in Jean Elsen sale 158 (Brussels, March 2024), where it sold for €2,000 (about US$2,601 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AV écu d'or au soleil, 1645 A, Paris. D/ Ecu de France couronné, sous un soleil. R/ Croix anillée et fleurdelisée. Rare. Superbe. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, gold écu of the sunburst of 1645, Paris mint. Obverse: crowned arms of France under a sunburst; reverse: floriate voided cross. Rare, Extremely Fine.)"

The écu d'or was the standard French gold coin from the time of Francis I until the reign of Louis XIV. It continued to be struck even after the introduction of the louis d'or in 1640. This Amiens mint issue (struck 1643-49) has the mintmark on the obverse rather than its usual location in the center of the reverse. Gadoury notes it as common. This type was originally worth fifty sols tournois in the sixteenth century, the inflation brought on by the Wars of Religion caused its value to steadily increase. At the time of issue in 1645, the écu d'or was worth 104 sols tournois.

Reported Mintage: 12,609.

Specification: 3.38 g, .958 fine gold; this specimen 3,37 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 340b, Dr/2 № 210b, Dupl-1416; Gad-232.

Source:

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 158, Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.

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