France 1679-B ecu
This specimen was lot 1656 in Sincona sale 47 (Zürich, May 2018), where it sold for 350 CHF (about US$420 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANKREICH, Konigreich, Louis XIV. 1643-1715. Ecu du Palement 1679 B, Rouen. Sehr schön. Schrötlingsfehler am Rand und leicht justiert. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715. écu parliament of 1679, Rouen mint. Very fine, Flan defect on edge and slightly adjusted.)"
This type was struck 1672-85 (at Rouen 1679-83) in fairly large quantities but was the victim of repeated "reformations," where older écus were called in and restruck. As a result, the type is rare today. It was succeeded by the écu drapé à l'antique of 1684-87. Droulers[2] prices this date as common, but even a common date is priced over three times that of an écu à la mèche longue.
Recorded mintage: 29,369[2], a somewhat better date.
Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, plain edge, this specimen 26.97 g.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 460, Dr/2 № 348B, Gadoury 209. Dav-3805.
- [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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Auction 47, World Coins and Medals, Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2018.
Links to:
- 1679 douzième d'écu du Béarn à la mèche longue, Pau mint
- 1679-N quart d'écu à la cravate
- 1679-& quart d'écu à la cravate
- 1679-B demi-écu à la cravate
- 1679-9 demi-écu juvénile
- 1679-L écu à la cravate
- 1679-9 écu à la cravate
- 1679-A louis d'or à la tête virile
- 1679-D louis d'or à la tête virile
- 1679-L louis d'or à la tête virile
- 1679-N louis d'or à la tête virile
- 1679-A écu à la cravate
- Coins and currency dated 1679
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)