France 1668-L ecu
This specimen was lot 1325 in Jean Elsen sale 165 (Brussels, June 2026), where it sold for €800 (about US$1,102 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR écu au buste juvénile, 1668 L, Bayonne. 2e type. D/ B. à d., les cheveux longs, l., dr. et cuir., orné d'une Victoire. R/ Écu de France couronné. Nettoyé. Frappe faible au droit. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, silver écu of the young bust of 1668, Bayonne mint, second type. Obverse: laureate, draped and armored bust right, with long hair; reverse: crowned arms of France. Cleaned, weakly struck on the obverse, Fine - 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. There are many variations; this particular bust was used 1665-70 at Bayonne (shown here), Rennes, Aix and Rouen.
Recorded mintage: 175,263[2].
Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, 38-41 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by Jean Warin, this specimen 27,06 g.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 447, Dr/2 № 324, KM 214.2, Dupl. 1483; Gad-206, Dav-3802A.
- [2]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.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 165, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2026.
Link to:
- 1667-L écu au buste juvénile
- 1667-9 écu au buste juvénile
- 1668-9 demi-écu juvénile
- 1668-9 écu au buste juvénile
- 1668 écu juvenile de France et de Navarre
- 1668-A louis d'or juvénile
- 1668-D louis d`or juvénile à la tête laurée
- 1668-L louis d'or juvénile
- 1670-9 écu au buste juvénile
- Coins and currency dated 1668
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)