Viennois (1440-56) ecu d'or Fr-251
This specimen was lot 20166 in Stack's Bowers 2018 NYINC sale (New York, January 2018), where it sold for $2,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Ecu d'Or, ND. Louis II, Dauphin de Viennois (1440-56). NGC AU-58. Louis II was Charles VII's heir to the throne of France but held the title of Dauphin while his father was alive. Upon his succession to the throne in 1461 as Louis XI, he permanently joined Dauphiné to France.... Well struck with no doubling or weak spots. Full legends on both sides, lustrous and attractive." The Viennois (also known as Dauphiné) had been ruled by an independent dynasty since the early 1300's. Louis' accession ended the province's independence but separate coinage was issued for it until the reign of Charles IX (1560-74).
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-251.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio, John Kraljevich and Cris Chatigny, The January 2018 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Eldorado Collection of Colombian and Ecuadorian Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2017.
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