France 1660-X 1/2 ecu
This specimen was lot 24645 in Heritage sale 3032 (Chicago, April 2014), where it did not sell. The catalog description[2] noted, "Louis XIII 1/2 Écu 1660/59-X, Amiens mint, XF45 NGC. An adequate strike for the type, with even gray patina and reverse adjustment marks as often seen on these early French types. This is an extremely rare issue, unpriced in all references. Gadoury does not even list a rarity for this piece, which means they probably have no record of this piece, at all. The overdate is quite bold and easily visible and this may be the only example that anyone has seen of this exceedingly rare date and mint." The specimen shown is a demi-écu juvénile, buste d'Amiens struck at Rennes during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Droulers[1] devotes catalog numbers 530 thru 557 to describe the numerous variations of this bust, introduced in 1659 when the king was 21 years old. This issue is one of the common dates of the type but it is still priced double a common date demi-écu à la mèche longue.
Recorded mintage: 6,420[1].
Specification: 13.72 g, 0.917 fine silver, 31-32 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by Jean Warin.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 541, Dr/2 № 316, Gad-173, KM 202.14.
- [1]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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
- [2]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3032, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2014.
Links to:
- 1659-9 demi-écu juvénile
- 1660-A douzième d'écu au buste juvénile
- 1660-B douzieme d'écu buste adolescent
- 1660-I douzième d'écu à la mèche longue
- 1660-K douzième d'écu au buste juvénile
- 1660-Z douzieme d'écu du Dauphiné au buste juvénile
- 1660 douzieme d'écu du Béarn à la meche longue, Morlaàs mint
- 1660-K demi-écu juvénile
- 1660-L demi-écu juvénile
- 1660-T demi-écu juvénile
- 1660-M écu de Béarn à la mèche longue, Morlaàs mint
- 1660-A louis d'or juvénile à la tête laurée
- 1660-I louis d'or juvénile
- 1660-K louis d'or à la mèche longue
- 1661-L demi-écu juvénile
- Coins and currency dated 1660
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)