France 1702-G ecu

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Heritage sale 3042, lot 29654
from Heritage Auction Galleries
Jean Elsen sale 154, lot 1783

The first specimen was lot 29654 in Heritage sale 3042 (Long Beach, September 2015), where it sold for $1,410. The catalog description[2] noted, "Louis XIV Ecu 1702-G MS64 NGC, Geneva mint [sic]. Featuring the armored bust of Louis XIV with obvious remnants of a previous strike visible on both the obverse and reverse. This most intriguing example presents glistening champagne luster and delivers a uniqueness in design elements that commands instant appeal." The specimen shown is an écu aux insignes ("écu with insignia") struck in Rennes during the reign of Louis XIV. This type was struck 1701-04 in substantial quantities, mostly overstriking older écus ("flans reformés"--see the specimen shown for the visible undertype). It was succeeded by the écu aux 8 L, 2éme type. Droulers[1] prices the type 40% higher than an écu à la mèche longue. This is a rather scarce issue from the Poitiers mint. The second specimen was lot 1783 in Jean Elsen sale 154 (Brussels, March 2023), where it sold for €190 (about US$246 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[3] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR écu aux insignes, 1702 G, Poitiers. 3e réformation. D/ B. à d., cuirassé à l'antique. R/ Ecu de France rond, couronné, brochant sur une main de justice et un sceptre posés en sautoir. Rare. Réformé sur un écu aux palmes. Nettoyé. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, silver écu of the insignia of 1702, Poitiers mint, third reformation. Obverse: armored bust right; reverse: crowned round arms of France over the hand of justice and a scepter. Rare, restruck over an écu of the palms. Cleaned, Very Fine.)"

Recorded mintage: unknown, "reformed" only[1].

Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, 38-41 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM, designed by Joseph Roëttiers. The second specimen is 27,14 g.

Catalog reference: Dupl-1533B; Dr/4 № 513, Gad-220, Dav-1316, KM-329.8.

Source:

  • [1]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.
  • Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
  • Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
  • [2]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World Coin Auction 3042, featuring the Read and Bob Bennett Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2015.
  • [3]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 154, Trouvaille de Labuissière, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023.

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