France 1668-9 ecu
This specimen was lot 770 in Jean Elsen sale 132 (Brussels, March 2017), where it sold for €160 (about US$203 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR écu au buste juvénile, 16689, Rennes. 2e type. D/ B. à d., les cheveux longs, l., dr. et cuir., orné d'une Victoire. R/ Ecu de France couronné. Traces de corrosion au droit et d'ajustage au revers. presque Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV (1643-1715), silver juvenile écu of 1668, Rennes mint, second type. Obverse: laureate, draped and armored bust to right with long hair; reverse: crowned arms of France. Traces of corrosion and adjustment marks on the reverse, about very fine.)"
The écu au buste juvénile was struck at numerous mints 1662-80 but is today scarce, having suffered the ignominy of being the undertype for the reformations of the 1690's.
Recorded mintage: 535,682 (common for the type).
Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, plain edge, designed by Jean Warin or Isaac Briot, this specimen 26,90 g.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 449, Dr/2 № 324, KM 214.4, Dupl-1483; Gad-206, Dav-3802A.
- 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.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 132, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2017.
Link to: