France 1662-L 1/2 ecu
The specimen shown is a demi-écu juvénile, petit buste drapé, type de Bayonne struck at Bayonne during the reign of Louis XIV. This specimen was lot 10211 in Ponterio sale 169 (Baltimore, November 2012), where it sold for $352. The catalog description[2] noted, "FRANCE. 1/2 Ecu, 1662-L. Bayonne Mint. Louis XIV (1643-1715). Clover privy mark. Toned with some luster in the protected areas. NGC EF-40. From the Demarete Collection." 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 over double a common date demi-écu à la mèche longue.
Recorded mintage: 116,844[1].
Specification: 13.72 g, 0.917 fine silver, 31-32 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by Jean Warin.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 546, Dr/2 № 321, KM-202.9; Gad-173; DFW-195; Dupl-1484.
- [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]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 169: The November 2012 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers, LLC, 2012.
Links to:
- 1656-T demi-écu à la mèche longue
- 1659-9 demi-écu juvénile
- 1661-Z 1/12 écu
- 1662-B demi-écu juvénile
- 1662-T demi-écu juvénile
- 1662-Y demi-écu juvénile
- 1662-9 demi-écu juvénile
- 1662-A louis d'or au buste juvénile, tête laurée
- 1662-D louis d'or au buste juvénile, tête laurée
- 1662-N louis d'or au buste juvénile, tête laurée
- 1663-L écu au buste juvénile
- Coins and currency dated 1662
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)