France 1687-L 1/8 ecu

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Jean Elsen sale 141, lot 1273

This specimen was lot 1273 in Jean Elsen sale 141 (Brussels, June 2019), where it sold for €1,200 (about US$1590 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR huitième d'écu de Flandre, 1687L couronné, Lille. Au buste large. D/ B. dr. à d., coiffé d'une longue perruque au bas de laquelle un petit lis. R/ Ecu couronné, écartelé de France, Bourgogne moderne et Bourgogne ancien. Très rare Fines griffes. Très Beau à Superbe. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, silver eighth écu of Flanders of 1687, crowned L mintmark, Lille mint, with large bust. Obverse: peruked and draped bust right, lily on the shoulder; reverse: crowned and quartered arms of France, new Burgundy and old Burgundy. Very rare, fine scratches, Very Fine - Extremely Fine.)"

This scarce type was struck 1686-88 at Lille, the capital of the recently conquered province of Picardy, in an attempt to displace the Dutch and Brabant coins circulating there. It accompanied a sixteenth écu, quarter écu, half écu and écu de Flandre. The Lille mint used this mintmark 1686-1705 but usually used a "W" after 1693.

Recorded mintage: est. 71,419 including Dr/4 № 717B.

Specification: 4.70 g, .857 fine silver, 25 mm diameter, reeded edge, engraved by Joseph Roëttiers, this specimen 4,50 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 717A, Dr/2 № 486A, KM 259.2, Dupl-1512; Gad-130.

Source:

  • Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
  • Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
  • Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 141, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2019.

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