Tournai (1590-1600) real d'or Fr-383

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Jean Elsen sale 160, lot 1265
JE160-1265r.jpg

This specimen was lot 1265 in Jean Elsen sale 160 (Brussels, November 2024), where it sold for €65,000 (about US$82,290 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"TOURNAI, Seigneurie, Philippe II (1555-1598), restauré, AV réal d'or, s.d. (1590-1600). Aux armes de Portugal. D/ PHS D G HISP Z REX D TORNA B. cuirassé et couronné à d. R/ DOMINVS MI-HI ADIVTOR Ecu couronné, avec l'écusson de Portugal sur le tout. De la plus haute rareté. Légère irrégularité du flan sur la tranche. Fines griffes au droit. Probablement le troisième exemplaire connu et le seul en collection privée. (lordship of Tournai, Philip II, 1555-98, restored, undated gold real, circa 1590-1600, with the arms of Portugal. Obverse: armored and crowned bust right; reverse: crowned arms with the escutcheon of Portugal in chief. Extremely rare, edge flaws, fine scratches on the obverse, likely the third example known and the only one in private hands.)

L'atelier de Tournai fut réorganisé par Farnèse après la capitulation de la ville le 30 novembre 1581. Il n'y eut pas d'émission de monnaies d'or avant 1583 (demi-réal et couronne), celle du réal d'or ne débuta qu'en 1590. Les comptes conservés mentionnent la frappe 14.449 exemplaires du 21 juillet 1590 au 31 août 1600. Le type était pourtant inconnu jusqu'à l'apparition de deux exemplaires dans le trésor de Serooskerke en 1966. L'un est conservé au Cabinet des Médailles de Bruxelles, l'autre à la Banque nationale de Belgique. presque Superbe. (The mint at Tournai was reorganized by Farnese after the surrender of the town on November 30, 1581. No gold was issued before 1583 (half reals and gold crowns) and this gold real did not appear until 1590. The accounts mention the striking of 1,449 examples between July 1590 and August 1600. The type was unknown until two examples appeared in the Serooskerke treasure in 1966. One resides in the Cabinet of Medals in Brussels and the other at the National Bank of Belgium. About extremely fine.)"

By 1586, the revolt of the southern provinces had been crushed. The Spanish rulers, among other things, restored the old écu Philippe and its fractions and struck them to the end of the reign. By this time, king Philip had added Portugal to his domain, so that shield was added to the arms. This denomination was struck in numerous provinces (Brabant, Flanders, Gelderland) but we don't see any struck this late other than Tournai.

Recorded mintage: 14,449.

Specification: 5.33 g, gold, this specimen is 5,33 g.

Catalog reference: Fr-383, G.H. 206-14 (unlisted); Delm., Suppl., 434b; Hoc 242 (two examples known); VH 357.

Source:

  • Delmonte, A., Le Bénélux D'or, Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman N.V., 1964, with supplements to 1977.
  • 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.
  • van Gelder, H. Enno, and Marcel Hoc, Les Monnaies des pays-Bas Bourguignons et Espagnols, 1434-1713, Amsterdam, J. Schulman, 1960, with supplement of 1964.
  • [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 160, Collection de deniers liegeois et Collection de monnaies d'or francaises, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.

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