Lorraine 1584 teston
This specimen was lot 1926 in Künker sale 293 (Osnabrück, Germany, July 2017), where it sold for €440 (about US$531 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANKREICH/LOTHRINGEN, HERZOGTUM, Karl III. 1545-1608. Teston 1584 (Jahreszahl im Stempel aus 1583 geändert), Nancy. Münzmeister Nicolas Gennetaire. R Vorzüglich. (French states, duchy of Lorraine, Charles III, 1545-1608, teston of 1584/3, Nancy mint. Scarce, extremely fine.)"
Altho the duke doubtless spoke French, he did not consider himself a subject of the king of France but rather of the emperor. The province would not fall under French domination until after the Thirty Years War and was not annexed until the death of the last duke in 1766.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 9.18 g, silver.
Catalog reference: Flon 129.
- Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
- [1]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Katalog 293: Münzen aus Mittelalter und Neuzeit u. a. die westfälischen Privatsammlungen Werner Bröker und Bernd Terletzki, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2017.
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