France 1665-9 1/2 ecu

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Jean Elsen sale 124, lot 920
France J124-920r.jpg

The specimen shown is a demi-écu juvénile struck at the Rennes mint 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 a better date of the type. Altho the succeeding bust, the demi-écu à la cravate, was introduced in 1672, demi-écus juvéniles are known dated as late as 1680. This specimen was lot 904 in Jean Elsen sale 124 (Brussels, March 2015), where it sold for €340 (about US$424 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR demi-écu au buste juvénile, 1665 (sur 1655) 9, Rennes. 2e type. Droit: B. à droite, les cheveux longs, l., drapé et cuirassé, une Victoire sur le plastron. Revers: Ecu de France couronné. Griffe au droit. Légères traces d'ajustage au revers. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV (1643-1715), silver half écu of the juvenile bust, 1665/55, Rennes mint, second type. Obverse: laureate bust to right with long hair, draped and armored, a figure of Victory on the breastplate; reverse: crowned arms of France. Obverse scratch, reverse adjustment marks, fine to very fine.)"

This specimen was offered again as lot 1205 in Jean Elsen sale 159 (Brussels, June 2024), where it sold for €80.

Recorded mintage: 28,901[1].

Specification: 13.72 g, 0.917 fine silver, 31-32 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by Jean Warin; this specimen 13,24 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 549, Dr/2 № 327, Dupl., 1484; Gad-173.

Source:

  • [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.
  • 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.
  • [2]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 124, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2015.

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