France 1741-A 1/2 ecu
The first specimen was lot 1079 in Stephen Album sale 30 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2018), where it sold for $822.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE: Louis XV, 1715-1774, AR ½ écu, Paris, 1741-A, attractive golden toning, very light wear, lightly cleaned, NGC 'AU details surface hairlines'. A one-year-type of fine style with high relief bust, very scarce in good grade." The second specimen was lot 1101 in Sincona sale 76 (Zürich, May 2022), where it sold for 2,800 CHF (about US$3,399 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[3] noted,
"FRANCE | Kingdom. Louis XV. 1715-1774. 1/2 Ecu au bandeau 1741 A, Paris. Vorzüglich. NGC PF58. Prachtvolle Erhaltung mit herrlicher Patina. (kingdom of France, Louis XV, 1715-74, half écu of the ribbon of 1741, Paris mint. Extremely fine, Beautiful condition with magnificent patina.)"
This coin, called a demi-écu au bandeau, was the French equivalent of a half dollar. In the coinage system of the ancien régime, the half écu = three livres. The type was struck 1741-74 and Paris contributed nearly every year.
Recorded mintage: unknown[1].
Specification: 14.74 g, 0.917 fine silver, 31-33 mm diameter, reeded edge, designed by J.-C. Röettiers. The second specimen is 14.68 g.
Catalog reference: KM-516.1, Dr/2 № 585, Dr/4 № 828, Gadoury 314.
- [1]Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [2]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 30, featuring the George Anderson Collection of Tibetan Coins, the Dr. John W. Lund Collection of Swedish Coins and the Mike Edwards Collection, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2018.
- [3]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 76, The Annemarie and Gerd Köhlmoos Collection, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2022..
Link to:
- 1740-A écu au bandeau
- 1741-A double sol aux 2 L couronnés
- 1741-BB double sol aux 2 L couronnés
- 1741-C double sol aux 2 L couronnés
- 1741-G double sol aux 2 L couronnés
- 1741-R double sol aux 2 L couronnés
- 1741-S double sol aux 2 L couronnés
- 1741-W double sol aux 2 L couronnés
- 1741-H vingtième d'écu au bandeau
- 1741-H dixième d'écu au bandeau
- 1741-AA cinquième d'écu au bandeau
- 1741-B cinquième d'écu au bandeau
- 1741-BB cinquième d'écu au bandeau
- 1741-G demi-écu au bandeau
- 1741-BB demi-écu aux branches d'olivier
- 1741-Y cinquième d'écu au bandeau
- 1741-L demi-écu au bandeau
- 1741-W demi-écu au bandeau
- 1741-BB écu au bandeau
- 1741-L écu au bandeau
- 1741-T écu au bandeau
- 1741-A demi-Louis d'or au bandeau
- 1741-A louis d'or au bandeau
- 1741-B louis d'or au bandeau
- 1741-BB louis d'or au bandeau
- 1741-K louis d'or au bandeau
- 1741-L louis d'or au bandeau
- 1741-W louis d'or au bandeau
- 1741 louis d'or au bandeau du Béarn
- 1744-G demi-écu au bandeau
- Coins and currency dated 1741
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)