France 1701-Pau louis d'or

From CoinVarieties
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Jean Elsen sale 163, lot 1867
JE163-1867r.jpg

This specimen was lot 1867 in Jean Elsen sale 163 (Brussels, November 2025), where it sold for €4,000 (about US$4,620 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AV louis d'or de Béarn aux huit L et aux insignes, 1701, Pau (vaquette). 3e réformation. D/ T. laurée à d., les cheveux courts. R/ Croix formée de huit L couronnés, brochant sur un sceptre et une main de justice. Extrêmement rare. Type rarissime dans cette qualité. Exemplaire très bien réformé, sur un louis d'or de 1682. Fines griffes. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, gold louis of the eight L's and insignia of 1701, Pau mint, third reformation. Obverse: laureate head right with short hair; reverse: cross formed of eight crowned L's, over a scepter and the hand of justice. Extremely rare, especially in this quality, well reformed over a louis d'or of 1682, Fine hairlines, Very Fine - Extremely Fine/Extremely Fine.)"

This type is usually found struck over older coins, a process involving all French silver and gold coinage during 1690-1709. These "reformations" were the result of financial manipulations too tedious to discuss here. The louis d'or aux 8 L, struck 1700-04, was succeeded by the louis d'or aux insignes struck 1704-09. The Pau mint is known for 1701-02 only.

Recorded mintage: unknown but a rare date.

Specification: 6.75 g, 0.917 fine gold, 24-26 mm diameter, reeded edge, this specimen 6,69 g.

Catalog reference: KM 334 (unlisted date), Dr/4 № 414a, Dr/2 № 270a, Dupl. 1443A; Gad. 253a; L4L 302 (hors cote); Clairand 33025; Fr-436.

Source:

  • 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.
  • Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 163, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2025.

Link to: