France 1562-Z teston

Jean Elsen sale 145, lot 1079

This specimen was lot 1079 in Jean Elsen sale 145 (Brussels, September 2020), where it sold for €120 (about US$171 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Charles IX (1560-1574), AR teston du Dauphiné, 1562Z (le 2 inversé), Grenoble. D/ B. l. et cuir. à g. R/ Ecu couronné, écartelé France et Dauphiné. Rare Griffe au droit. Beau à Très Beau/Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Charles IX, 1560-74, silver teston of Dauphiny of 1562, Grenoble mint. The "2" in the date is inverted. Obverse: laureate and armored bust to left; reverse: crowned and quartered arms of France and Dauphiny. Rare, obverse scratch, Fine - Very Fine/Very Fine.)"

This type was struck at Grenoble 1562-74 and was worth twelve sols tournois. It is priced about triple the issue of common mints such a Bayonne or Toulouse. Note the date in Arabic numerals. Nine different testons are recorded for the reign.

Recorded mintage: est. 28,585^[3].

Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9,32 g.

Catalog reference: Dupl-1081; Ci. 1365; Laf. 911, Sb 4642.

Source:

• ^[2]Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
• Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
• ^[3]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 145, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.

Link to:

• France 1560-D 1/2 teston
• France 1560-M 1/2 teston
• 1562-H teston
• 1562-L teston
• 1562-A écu d'or au soleil
• 1562-D écu d'or au soleil
• 1562-N écu d'or au soleil
• 1562-9 écu d'or au soleil
• 1563-Z teston du Dauphiné
• Coins and currency dated 1562
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)