France (1515)-Lyon ecu d'or Fr-340

Goldberg sale 128, lot 1187

This specimen was lot 1187 in Goldberg sale 128 (Los Angeles, June 2022), where it sold for $552. The catalog description^[1] noted, "France. Ecu d'or au soleil, ND (Lyon). Francis I, 1515-1547. Crowned arms with small radiant sun above. Reverse: Floriated cross. Minor edge chip. Lustrous. Unlisted, the only one graded. PCGS graded AU-58." The écu d'or was tariffed in France at 36 sols, 3 deniers tournois in 1515 and raised to 40 sols tournois in 1519. A demi-écu d'or also exists. This is the first écu d'or of Francis's reign, and lacks the crowns and "F's" added later.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 3.49 g, .958 fine gold, plain edge, this specimen 3.26 g.

Catalog reference: Fr-340; Ciani-1070; Dupl-769.

Source:

• Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
• 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.
• ^[1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Stephen Harvey and Vera Liu, Goldberg Sale 128: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2022.

Links to:

• (1514-15) écu d'or au porc-épic de Bretagne
• (1515-40) hardi
• (1515-17) liard au dauphin
• (1515-40) grand blanc de Bretagne, Rennes mint
• (1515-47) grand blanc du Dauphiné, Crémieu mint
• (1515) grand blanc à la couronne
• (1515-40) teston, Rouen mint
• (1515-40) teston, Lyon mint
• (1515) écu d'or au soleil, Lyon mint, crowns and "F's" on the reverse
• (1515-28) écu d'or au soleil du Dauphiné, Crémieu mint
• (1515-47) écu d'or au soleil de Bretagne, Rennes mint
• Coins and currency dated 1515
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)