France 1728-I ecu
This specimen was lot 73343 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2023), where it sold for $264. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Ecu, 1728-I. Limoges Mint. Louis XV. NGC AU-50. Admirably wholesome in expression, with no evidence of the harsh cleaning or chemical treatment that so often plagues these Ecu issues. Mild wear is evident over the high points of the portrait, though essentially full luster is retained in the fields. An array of adjustment marks appears upon each side, as typical for the issue." The écu aux branches d'olivier was introduced in 1726 as part of a coinage reform which ended the financial manipulations of the first years of the reign of Louis XV. It was struck in large numbers at all the French mints including Limoges, shown here. The bust was updated in 1740 to become the écu au bandeau but the reverse and the module were not changed. Adjustment marks are common on these.
Recorded mintage: 16,733[2], a better date.
Specification: 29.49 g, 0.917 fine silver, 39-41 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM, designed by Norbert Roëttiers.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 819, Dr/2 № 579, Dav-1330; KM-486.10; Gad-321.
- [2]Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 2nd édition. Paris: AFPN, 1998.
- 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.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, November 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancient & World Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
Link to:
- 1727-H écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-I dixième d'écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-K dixième d'écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-9 cinquième d'écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-AA demi-écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-B demi-écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-D demi-écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-X demi-écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728 demi-écu aux branches d'olivier du Béarn
- 1728-A écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-AA écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-E écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-H écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-M écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-T écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-V écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-Z écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1728-9 écu aux rameaux d'olivier
- 1728-I demi-louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-X demi-louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-A louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-AA louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-BB louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-C louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-I louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-N louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-T louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-Y louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1728-9 louis d'or aux lunettes
- 1729-W écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1729-& écu aux branches d'olivier
- Coins and currency dated 1728
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)