France 1785-R ecu

Jean Elsen sale 120, lot 1264

This specimen was lot 1264 in Jean Elsen sale 120 (Brussels, March 2014), where it sold for €700 (about US$1,151 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XVI (1774-1793), AR écu aux rameaux d'olivier, 1785 R, Orléans. Droit: B. habillé à gauche, les cheveux noués par un ruban. Revers: Ecu de France couronné, entre deux rameaux d'olivier. Rare dans cette qualité. Superbe à Fleur de Coin. (kingdom of France, Louis XVI (1774-93). silver écu of the olive branches of 1785, Orléans mint. Obverse: uniformed bust to left, hair tied in a ribbon; reverse: crowned arms of France between two olive branches. Rare in this quality, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"

Droulers^[2] notes this date as common, with a scarce "large head" variety (Dr/4-884).

Recorded mintage: 742,154.

Specification: Silver, 0.917 fine, 29.49 g, 40-42 mm diameter, this specimen 29,26 g.

Design:

Obverse: uniformed and peruked bust of Louis XVI facing left, legend LUD XVI D. G. FR. ET NAV. REX. (Louis XVI, by the grace of God, king of France and Navarre).
Reverse: oval arms of France, crowned, with olive branches around, legend SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTUM 1789. Edge engraved, "DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM," Latin for "God save the king." The mintmark ("R" for Orléans) is at the bottom, between "DOMINI" and "BENEDICTUM."

Catalog reference: Dav-1333, Dupl., 1708; Ci-2187; Gad-356; Dr/4-883, Dr/2-616, KM 564.

Source:

^[2]Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 2nd édition. Paris: AFPN, 1998.
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.
^[1]Elsen, Philippe, Vente Publique 120, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses fils, S.A., 2014.

Link to:

France 1785-R ecu

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