View source for Tournai 1601 1/2 florin

[[Image:JE157-0677.jpg|550px|thumb|Jean Elsen sale 157, lot 677]]

This specimen was lot 677 in Jean Elsen sale 157 (Brussels, December 2023), where it sold for €850 (about US$1,096 including buyer's fees). The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, <blockquote>"''TOURNAI, Seigneurie, Albert et Isabelle (1598-1621), AR demi-florin (10 sols), 1601. Avec la tour au revers. D/ B. affrontés des archiducs sous une couronne. R/ Croix de Bourgogne sous une couronne. En dessous, X. Légère faiblesse de frappe. Belle patine. Très Beau.'' ([[Netherlands, Spanish|lordship of Tournai]], Albert and Isabella, 1598-1621, silver half florin or ten sols of 1601, with tower mintmark on the reverse. Obverse: facing busts of the archdukes under a crown; reverse: Burgundian cross under a crown, an "X" below. Slightly weakly struck, nice patina, Very Fine.)"</blockquote>This rare type is listed in the SCWC for 1601-02 and may have been struck in 1600 as well. It was part of the coinage reform of Albert and Isabella which attempted to revive the devastated Spanish Netherlands. It was also struck in [[Brabant 1601(h) 1/2 florin|Brabant]].

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' 8.53 g, 0.667 fine silver, this specimen 8,07 g. 

''Catalog reference:'' KM 3; G.H. 288-7b; Delm-244; Hoc 373. 

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed.'', Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014. 
* 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 157, Collection J.-C. Martiny'', Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023. 

''Link to:''
* [[Brabant 1601(a) 1/4 florin|1601 ''quart de florin (5 sols)'', Brussels mint]]
* [[Brabant 1601(h) 1/2 florin|1601 demi-florin, Antwerp mint]]
* [[Brabant 1601(h) florin|1601 florin, Antwerp mint]]
* [[Brabant 1601(h) 2 albertins d'or Fr-86|1601 ''double albertin d'or'', Antwerp mint]]
* [[Tournai 1601 2 albertins d'or Fr-389|Tournai 1601 double albertin]]
* [[Tournai 1602 1/2 florin]] = 10 sols
* [[Coins and currency dated 1601]]

[[Category:Selections from Jean Elsen sale 157]][[Category: Coinage of the Dutch provinces]]