France 1672-L ecu
This specimen was lot 74681 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $240. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Ecu, 1672-L. Bayonne Mint. Louis XIV. PCGS VF-35. From the Richard August Collection." The specimen shown is an écu au buste juvénile struck at the Paris mint during the reign of Louis XIV. Droulers[2] devotes catalog numbers 444 thru 449 to describe the numerous variations of this bust, introduced in 1659 when the king was 21 years old. This issue, struck at Bayonne 1665-72, is one of the common dates of the type. Altho the succeeding bust, the écu à la cravate, was introduced in 1672, écus juvéniles are known dated as late as 1680.
Recorded mintage: 249,891[2].
Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine, plain edge, 38-41 mm diameter, plain edge.
Catalog reference: Dav-3802, Dr/4 № 447, KM-214.2; Gad-206.
- 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.
- [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.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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