France 1697-I ecu
This specimen was lot 99055 in Heritage sale 61259 (Dallas, TX, February 2022), where it sold for $2,100. The catalog description[1] noted, "France: Very Rare 1697 Limoges-Minted Ecu, Louis XIV Ecu 1697-I MS61 NGC, Limoges mint. Ecu aux palmes. A wholly original Mint State example of this covetable Limoges-minted Ecu, embellished by notable argent silhouettes tempered by a light pewter patina. Boldly struck over an earlier La Rochelle Ecu, revealing every detail intended by the engraver with only trivial instances of handling to bound the grade. With so few of these pieces extant, causing The Standard Catalog of World Coins and Gadoury to simply place dashes in place of values, we anticipate this piece will be met with strong bidder enthusiasm." The specimen shown is an écu aux palmes ("écu with palms") struck in Limoges during the reign of Louis XIV. It is a rare date. This type was struck 1693-1701 in large quantities, mostly overstriking older écus ("flans reformés"--this specimen is a "flan neuf"). It was succeeded by the écu aux insignes.
Recorded mintage: 4,336, apparently all fn[2].
Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, 38-41 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 510, Dr/2 № 410, KM 298.10, Dav-3813, Gad-217 (unpriced), Dupl-1520A, L4L-260 (R2), Sobin-Unl.
- [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.
- 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.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, The Long Island Collection of French Coins Showcase Auction #61259, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2022.
Link to:
- 1696-X écu aux palmes
- 1697-AA liard de France au buste âgé
- 1697-W huitième d'écu de Flandre aux palmes
- 1697-W quart d'écu aux palmes
- 1697-BB 35 sols de Strasbourg aux palmes
- 1697-I demi-écu aux palmes
- 1697-A écu aux palmes
- 1697-H écu aux palmes
- 1697-T écu aux palmes
- 1697-A louis d'or aux quatre L
- 1697-M louis d'or aux 4 L
- 1697-P louis d'or aux quatre L, contemporary counterfeit
- 1697-AA double louis d'or aux quatre L
- 1698-A écu aux palmes
- Coins and currency dated 1697
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)