France 1716-I ecu

Jean Elsen sale 162, lot 997

This specimen was lot 997 in Jean Elsen sale 162 (Brussels, June 2025), where it sold for €220 (about US$305 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XV (1715-1774), AR écu Vertugadin, 1716 I, Limoges. Réformation. D/ B. enfantin à d., dr. et cuir. R/ Écu de France rond, couronné. Rare. Nettoyé. Flan large. (kingdom of France, Louis XV, 1715-74, silver écu Vertugadin of 1716, Limoges mint, reformed. Obverse: draped and armored infant bust right; reverse: crowned round arms of France. Rare, cleaned, large planchet, about Very Fine.)"

This is an écu vertugadin of the Limoges mint, struck while Louis XV was a minor. Droulers notes the 1716-I as fairly common as "flan reformé" (struck over an earlier type) while "flans neufs" are rare. The specimen shown is a "flan reformé." The type was struck 1715-18 in substantial numbers but was replaced by the écu de France-Navarre, which is only 24.47 grams.

Recorded mintage: 11,520 fn plus unknown rf.

Specification: 30.59 g, 0.917 fine silver, .902 troy oz ASW, 41 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM, designed by Joseph Roëttiers, this specimen 29,90 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 813, Dr/2 № 553, KM 414.10, Dav-1326, Dupl. 1651A; Gad-317.

Sources:

Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
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.
Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
^[1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 162: Collection Jacques Druart, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2025.

Link to:

France 1716-I ecu

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