Metz 1623 goldgulden Fr-164
This specimen was lot 68 in Jean Elsen sale 146 (Brussels, November 2020), where it sold for €1,400 (about US$2,040 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, METZ, Ville, AV florin d'or au saint Etienne, 1623. D/ Saint Etienne deb. à g. dans une mandorle, ten. une pierre et une palme. la date dans le champ. R/ Petit écu de la ville dans un polylobe orné de lis et cantonné d'annelets. Très rare. Très Beau. (city of Metz, gold florin of St. Etienne of 1623. Obverse: St. Etienne standing in a mandorla, holding a rock and a palm, date in the field; reverse: small arms of the town in an ornate polylobe decorated with lilies and rings. Very rare, Very Fine.)"
The town of Metz was occupied by the French in the 1550's but was not annexed until the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. This rare type is listed in the SCWC for 1620-24, 1631.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.33 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3,25 g.
Catalog reference: Flon 727, 6; coll. Robert 749, Fr-164, KM 12.
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 146: Collection Anthony Lorrain Monnaies de Metz, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
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