France 1666-& 1/4 ecu
This specimen was lot 1124 in Jean Elsen sale 145 (Brussels, September 2020), where it sold for €320 (about US$456 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR quart d'écu au buste juvénile, 1666&, Aix-en-Provence. D/ B. à d., les cheveux longs, l., dr. et cuir. R/ Ecu de France couronné. Très rare Traces d'ajustage. Belle patine. presque Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, silver quarter écu of the juvenile bust of 1666, Aix mint. Obverse: laureate, draped and armored bust right with long hair; reverse: crowned arms of France. Very rare, adjustment marks, nice patina, about Very Fine.)"
The quart d'écu au buste juvénile was struck 1663-74. There is so much variation from mint to mint that Droulers has a subtype for each mint. Despite the substantial mintage noted below, this is a very rare type.
Recorded mintage: 60,326.
Specification: 6.86 g, 0.917 fine silver, 27 mm diameter, plain edge, engraved by Jean Warin, this specimen 6,73 g.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 661, Dr/2 № 317, Dupl-1485; Gad-143.
- [2]Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 2nd édition. Paris: AFPN, 1998.
- 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 145, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
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