France 1704-AA ecu

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photo courtesy Stack's
France 1704AA ecu rev Stacks 1010-458.jpg
Jean Elsen sale 146, lot 152

The first specimen was lot 458 in Stack's Coin Galleries sale (New York, October 2010), where it sold for $1,265. The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE. Louis XIV, 1643-1715. Écu aux Huit L’s, 1704 AA. Metz. Réformation on 1703 Écu aux Insignes. Boldly struck and vividly detailed mature mailed bust of the 'Sun King' r., much undertype visible. Rv. Four crowned double L’s with lis in angles, three lis at the center. George Sobin Type 12, described by that great collector-researcher as '…much the rarest of all the Réformation types of Louis XIV.' Struck with only six dates. A mere handful of Metz pieces are known, few of these of a quality comparable to this extraordinary example, certainly a candidate for finest known. Choice About Uncirculated. This was the fourth and last Réformation of this long reign, necessitated by the King’s incessant wars and resulting economic dislocation. When no adequate supply of earlier Écu coins was provided by an exhausted public, most coins of this new type were struck on newly prepared planchets."

The second specimen was lot 152 in Jean Elsen sale 146 (Brussels, November 2020), where it sold for €600 (about US$874 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[3] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR écu aux huit L, 1704AA, Metz. 2e type. 4e réformation. D/ B. à d., cuirassé à l'antique. R/ Croix formée de huit L couronnés, cantonnés de quatre lis, avec écu de France rond au centre. Différent: étoile (marque particulière de la 4e réformation à Strasbourg et à Metz). Très rare Flan large. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, silver écu of the eight L's of 1704, Metz mint, second type, fourth reformation. Obverse: cuirassed bust right; reverse: cross formed of eight crowned L's, cantonned with four lilies, with the round arms of France in the center. Privy mark: star, indicating the fourth reformation at Strasbourg and Metz. Very rare, large flan, Very Fine.)"

Droulers[2] notes the type was struck 1704-09 and is fairly common tho less so that the écu des trois couronnes of 1709-15. The Metz mint is recorded for 1704-05 and is scarce.

Recorded mintage: unknown. All recorded specimens are on flans reformées.

Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, 39-46 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM, designed by Joseph Roëttiers; the second specimen 26,92 g.

Catalog reference: Dupl-1551A; Gad-224; L4L 322, Dav-1320, Dr/4 № 518, Dr/2 № 436, KM-360.2.

Source:

  • [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.
  • Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
  • 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.
  • [1]Kraljevich, John, Frank Van Valen and Christine Karstedt, Coin Galleries Mail and Internet Bid Sale, New York: Stack's, 2010.
  • [3]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 146: Collection Anthony Lorrain Monnaies de Metz, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.

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