Navarre 1582 franc
This specimen was lot 73316 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2023), where it sold for $216. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Navarre. Saint-Palais. Franc, 1582. Henry III. NGC AU-53. Superior quality for this SCARCE and often heavily worn hammered issue, with a relatively detailed portrait and only mild evidence of circulation. Deeply toned over the obverse, with the reverse is a lighter silvery-grey in color." This particular Henry, who later became Henry IV of France, was Henry II of Navarre, not III. In the sixteenth century, Navarre was still autonomous and struck its own coinage but Henry IV merged it with France. Most of the region ended up part of Spain. Roberts shows this date in his book along with a half franc of 1580 (Roberts-6992) and another franc of 1582 (Roberts-6993) with crowned H's on the reverse instead of a shield.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14.18 g, 0.833 fine silver, this specimen 14.10 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-1399, Roberts-6991.
- Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, November 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancient & World Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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