France 1726-C 1/2 ecu

From CoinVarieties
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Jean Elsen sale 155, lot 1695

This specimen was lot 1695 in Jean Elsen sale 155 (Brussels, June 2023), where it sold for €340 (about US$446 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XV (1715-1774), AR demi-écu aux rameaux d'olivier, 1726 C, Caen. D/ B. habillé à g., décoré de la croix du Saint-Esprit. R/ Ecu de France couronné, entre deux rameaux d'olivier. Nettoyé. Fines griffes. Très Beau à Superbe. (kingdom of France, Louis Very Fine - Extremely Fine.)"

This coin was part of the great coinage reform of Cardinal Fleury which finally terminated the manipulations which had disrupted the economy since the 1690's. Unfortunately, after a good start in 1726-27, mintages of the demi-écu dwindled and most dates from the 1730's are quite scarce. Caen issued this demi-écu aux rameaux d'olivier for 1726-38.

Recorded mintage: 134,404, a scarce date.

Specification: 14.74 g, 0.917 fine silver, edge lettered DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM, designed by J.-C. Röettiers, this specimen 14,61 g.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 827, Dr/2 № 580, KM 484, Dupl-1676; Gad-313.

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.
  • 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 155, Collection Marc Bar et Distinctions de Jean-Baptiste Nothomb, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023.

Link to: