Navarre (1483-1512) ducat Fr-175
This specimen was lot 3248 in Goldberg sale 85 (Los Angeles, June 2015), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"France: Navarre. Ducat, ND. Catherine De Foix & Jean D'Albret, 1483-1512 (Catalina de Albret & Don Juan de Aragon). Crowned busts facing each other. Reverse: Crowned arms of Navarre. Mint state with outstanding portraits, all detail is sharply struck up. Very Rare. NGC graded MS-61.
The Kingdom of Navarre is considered as a part of the Spanish monarchy today, but it actually started as a small kingdom of the Basques, not the Visigoths nor the Franks. The kingdom had a closer relationship with France rather than the Castilian crown during the medieval period, and played an important role in trading. The native royal line intermarried with the French dynasties and in 1234 when the last native king died, the kingdom became totally French.
Queen Catherine was the last ruler of Navarre before the Castilian-Aragonese invasion in 1515. The present piece was issued during her reign, even though it appears similar to the Spanish gold excelente, these coins are actually considered as issued under French influence. This is the first example we've ever handled, and probably one of the finest piece[s] of the type."
Friedberg notes that Navarre was under Aragonese rule 1441-79 and 1512-16 and under Bourbon rule 1516-1610. On the death of Henry II (also Henry IV of France) in 1610, coinage was merged with regular French coinage.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Cayón-2212, Fr-175; PA.3374.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, vol. 2, Madrid: Cayón-Jano S.L., 2005.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome I, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- 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.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Aleeza Brown, Yifu Che, Jason Villareal and Stephen Harvey, Goldberg Sale 85: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2015.
Link to:
- Navarre (1441-61) gros Carlos de Viana
- Navarre (1441-79) gros Juan
- Navarre (1493)-P P ducat Fernando II
- Navarre (1483-1512)-P blanca
- France (1507-15) ecu d'or Fr-325
- Navarre (1512-15) real
- Navarre (1513-16) 2 ducados Fr-178 Fernando II
- Coins and currency dated 1483
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)