France 1562-L teston

from Jean Elsen sale 132, lot 747

This specimen was lot 747 in Jean Elsen sale 132 (Brussels, March 2017), where it sold for €60 (about US$76 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Charles IX (1560-1574), AR teston, 1562L, Bayonne. 3e type. D/ B. l. et cuir. à g. R/ Ecu couronné, entre deux K couronnés. Griffes au droit. presque Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Charles IX (1560-74), silver teston of 1562, Bayonne mint, third type. Obverse: laureate and cuirassed bust to left; reverse: crowned arms divide two crowned "K's". Obverse scratches, about very fine.)"

Duplessy lists this type for 1562-74, one of several (Dupl-1063, -1067, -1069, -1071, -1072b, -1073) bearing the portrait of the boy king Charles IX. During the Wars of Religion, which broke out during his reign, the protestants seized and operated several mints. This specimen was struck by the hammer. Testons of this type are known dated 1562 with the mintmark "·L·"; these were not struck at Bayonne but at some unknown and illegal mint, a documented occurrence during the Wars of Religion.

Recorded mintage: unknown but a common date.

Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9,11 g.

Catalog reference: Dupl. 1069; Ci. 1359; Laf. 899, Sb 4602.

Source:

• Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
• Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
• ^[1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 132, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2017.

Link to:

• 1561-L teston
• 1561-Z teston du Dauphiné
• 1561-M demi-teston
• France 1561-B henri d'or
• 1562-H teston
• 1562-Z teston du Dauphiné
• 1562-A écu d'or au soleil
• 1562-D écu d'or au soleil
• 1563-D teston
• 1563-L teston
• 1563-M teston
• Coins and currency dated 1562
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)