France 1718-H ecu

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Jean Elsen sale 148, lot 1003

This specimen was lot 1003 in Jean Elsen sale 148 (Brussels, September 2021), where it sold for €240 (about US$340 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XV (1715-1774), AR écu de Navarre, 1718H, La Rochelle. D/ B. enfantin à d., l., dr. et cuir. R/ Ecu écartelé de France-Navarre, échancré et couronné. Rare Fines griffes et légère faiblesse de frappe. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XV, 1715-74, silver écu of Navarre of 1718, La Rochelle mint. Obverse: laureate, draped and armored young bust right; reverse: crowned quartered arms of France and Navarre. Rare, fine scratches, Very Fine.)"

This is an écu de France-Navarre of the La Rochelle mint, struck while Louis XV was a minor. This is a fairly common date altho 1718-H écus vertugadin are rumored to exist. The specimen is a "flan neuf;" unlike the écu vertugadin, none were struck over older coins. The type was struck 1718-20 in substantial numbers.

Recorded mintage: 460,080 + 49,356 of the écu vertugadin (not confirmed).

Specification: 24.47 g, 0.917 fine silver, .722 troy oz ASW, 38 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM, designed by Norbert Roëttiers, this specimen 24,30 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 816, Dr/2 № 558, Dav-1327, Dupl-1657; Gad-318.

Source:

  • Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
  • 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.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
  • Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
  • George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 148: Monnaies, Médailles et Décorations, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2021.

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