View source for Tournai (1583-84) 1/2 real d'or Fr-384

[[Image:JE158-0780.jpg|550px|thumb|Jean Elsen sale 158, lot 780]]

This specimen was lot 780 in Jean Elsen sale 158 (Brussels, March 2024), where it sold for €13,000 (about US$16,905 including buyer's fees). The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, <blockquote>"''TOURNAI, Seigneurie, Philippe II (1555-1598), restauré, AV demi-réal d'or, s.d. (1583-1584). Sans les armes de Portugal. D/ DOMINVS MIHI ADIVTOR B. cuir. à g. R/ PHS D G HISP Z REX D TORN Ecu couronné. Extrêmement rare. Belle couleur. Superbe.'' ([[Netherlands, Spanish|lordship of Tournai]], Philip II, 1555-98, restored, undated gold half real, circa 1583-84, without the arms of Portugal. Obverse: armored bust left; reverse: crowned arms. Extremely rare, nice color, Extremely Fine.)
<p>''L'atelier de Tournai fut réorganisé par Farnèse après la reddition de la ville. Il n'y eut pas d'émission de monnaies d'or avant 1583, les comptes conservés mentionnent la frappe de 6890 demi-réaux et de 724 couronnes d'or du 12 janvier 1583 au 10 juillet 1584.'' (The Tournai mint was reorganized by Farnese after the city's surrender. There was no issue of gold coins before 1583, the preserved accounts mention the minting of 6890 half-reales and 724 gold crowns from January 12, 1583 to July 10, 1584.)"</p></blockquote> 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.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' gold; this specimen 3,43 g. 

''Catalog reference:'' Fr-384, G.H. 207-14a; Delm-434; Hoc 243; VH 294. 

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* 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.
* Delmonte, A., ''Le Bénélux D'or,'' Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman N.V., 1964, with supplements to 1977.
* 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.
* <sup>[1]</sup>Elsen, Philippe, et al., ''Vente Publique 158, Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège'', Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.

''Link to:''
* [[Flanders (1555-98) 1/2 real d'or Fr-213|(1555-98) ''demi-réal d'or'', Bruges mint]]
* [[Brabant (1576-77)-B 1/2 real d'or Fr-73|(1576-77)-B ''demi-réal d'or'', Brussels mint]]
* [[Hainaut (1581-87) 1/2 real d'or Fr-273]]
* [[Tournai 1583 1/5 ecu|1583 ''cinquième d'écu Philippe'']]
* [[Tournai 1584 1/10 ecu|1584 ''dixième d'écu Philippe'']]
* [[Tournai 1584 1/5 ecu|1584 ''cinquième d'écu Philippe'']]
* [[Tournai 1585 couronne d'or Fr-386|1585 ''couronne d'or'']]
* [[Tournai (1590-95) 1/2 real d'or Fr-385|(1590-95) ''demi-réal d'or'']]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1583]]

[[Category:Coinage of the Dutch provinces]][[Category:Selections from Jean Elsen sale 158]]