France 1690-N 2 louis d'or

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Jean Elsen sale 163, lot 1854
JE163-1854r.jpg

This specimen was lot 1854 in Jean Elsen sale 163 (Brussels, November 2025), where it sold for €6,000 (about US$6,930 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AV double louis d'or à l'écu, 1690 N, Montpellier. 1e réformation. Tranche cordonnée. D/ T. à d., coiffée d'une perruque laurée. R/ Écu de France couronné. De la plus haute rareté. Réformé sur un double louis de Paris. Selon Clairand (2023), un poinçon d'effigie et une matrice de revers ont été expédiés depuis Paris à l'atelier de Montpellier en août 1690. Le type à l'écu est le seul des monnaies d'or françaises sur lequel figure la légende SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTVM, normalement réservée aux monnaies d'argent. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, gold double louis of the shield of 1690, Montpellier mint, first reformation with reeded edge. Obverse: laureate and peruked head right; reverse: crowned arms of France. Extremely rare, reformed over a double louis of the Paris mint. According to Clairand, a punch with the king's effigy and a reverse matrix were sent from Paris to Montpellier in August 1690. This type is the sole gold coin to bear the legend SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTVM, normally reserved for silver coins. Very Fine - Extremely Fine/Extremely Fine.)"

This double louis d'or à l'écu was the first double Louis to be struck since the double louis d'or à la mèche longue issued in the 1650's. This date is common for the type but the type as a whole is scarce to rare. While edge reeding was introduced to the French mints about 1687, this is the first series to use it on a routine basis.

Recorded mintage: 1,235 fn plus unknown rf[2].

Specification: 13.50 g, 0.917 fine gold, 28-30 mm diameter, reeded edge, this specimen is 13,43 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 398, Dr/2 № 256, Dupl. 1434A; Gad-259 (hors cote); L4L 242 (hors cote); Clairand 33015 (non répertorié), KM 280.3.

Source:

  • Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
  • [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.
  • Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 163, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2025.

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