France 1679-L ecu
This specimen was lot 73018 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2023), where it sold for $2,640. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Ecu, 1679-L. Bayonne Mint. Louis XIV. NGC EF-45. A wholesome and softly lustrous specimen, this Ecu delivers a patina of steely gray color and only the faintest touches of handling on the surfaces. An appealing and impressive specimen for the dedicated specialist in French coinage." This type was struck 1672-85 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.. Numerous varieties of the bust exist, including Dr/4 № 480 and Dr/4 № 482.
Recorded mintage: est. 583,060[2], common for an écu à la cravate.
Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, 37-41 mm diameter, plain edge, designed by F. Warin.
Catalog reference: Gad-209, Dr/4 № 473, Dr/2 № 348L, Dav-3805; KM-226.8.
- 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, February 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the David Sterling Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
Link 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-A écu à la cravate
- 1679-B 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
- 1680-A écu à la cravate
- 1680-L écu à la cravate
- 1680-9 écu à la cravate
- Coins and currency dated 1679
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)