France 1607-A franc

Stack's Bowers 2020 NYINC sale, lot 20312

This specimen was lot 20312 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $5,280. The catalog description^[1] noted, "FRANCE. Silver Quadruple Piefort Franc, 1607-A. Paris Mint. Henry IV. NGC EF-45. An immensely impressive specimen, this thick issue, struck at four times the weight as that which would be expected, exhibits a deep gunmetal gray cabinet tone with some light magenta hints throughout. Some underlying luster remains beneath the evenly, lightly handled surfaces." The franc was last struck for circulation in 1586 and was suppressed because of rampant clipping (French coins would not have lettered edges until the 1680's). Duplessy^[2] notes an illegal issue from the Melun mint in 1593 (Dupl-1211). This quadruple piedfort was either a mint sport or a presentation piece.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 14.18 g, 0.833 fine silver, this specimen 56.45 g.

Catalog reference: KM-P7; Dupl-Unlisted; Ciani-1533.

Source:

• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• ^[2]Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome I, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The January 2020 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.

Link to:

• 1586-M franc avec fraise
• 1607-Z denier tournois
• 1607-D double tournois
• 1607-A demi-franc, piéfort
• 1607-C quart d'écu
• 1618-A franc au buste lauré et au col fraisé pattern
• Coins and currency dated 1607
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)