France 1774-A louis d'or Fr-469

from Heritage sale 3097, lot 30185

This specimen was lot 30185 in Heritage sale 3097 (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $13,200. The catalog description^[1] noted,

"France: Louis XVI gold Louis d'Or aux palmes 1774-A MS62 NGC, Paris mint. Crowned Arms type. An enviable inaugural example providing an aura of careful preservation as to leave the viewer speechless, especially when considering this single-year type is rarely encountered finer than VF condition. The example at hand exhibits a full strike, revealing the most minute details of Louis's portrait, while the reverse faces up much finer than the assigned grade would indicate, causing fully aurous luster to traverse the devices without effort. While trivial wisps and adjustment marks limit this already impressive piece, the technical and visual superiority is clear. Between PCGS and NGC, only eight have been recorded, this example being the sole finest with no other Mint State examples, a fact that surely will inspire our bidders. From the Long Island Collection."

This type, struck in the summer of 1774 after the death of Louis XV, is so rare as to almost be a pattern, except that one or two of this design dated 1774-B are believed to exist. The succeeding type, the louis d'or au buste habillé, is not that much more common. A significant number of those were minted, only to be melted in 1786 to make the louis d'or à la tête nue.

Recorded mintage: est. 47,932 including Fr-471.

Specification: 8.15 g, 0.917 fine gold, 24 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 878, Dr/2 № 600, Fr-469, KM 556.1, Gad-358 (R4), Dupl-1702, L4L-532 (R4).

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.
Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
^[1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, NYINC World Coins Platinum Night Auction 3097, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.

Link to:

France 1774-A louis d'or Fr-469

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