France (1515-40)-Lyon 1/2 teston

Goldberg sale 128, lot 1720

This specimen was lot 1720 in Goldberg sale 128 (Los Angeles, June 2022), where it sold for $1,920. The catalog description^[1] noted, "France. ½ Teston a la couronnelle, Undated. Lyon mint. Francis I, 1515-1547. Crowned bust right. Reverse: Crowned shield, flanked by crowned F's. Sharply struck example with original underlying luster with a lovely old multi color cabinet tone. The only one graded at PCGS. PCGS graded MS-62." This is a demi-teston of the 13th type, struck at Dijon, Lyon and Troyes only. In 1540, the Lyon mint was assigned the mintmark "D" and the secret points were gradually abandoned.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 4.799 g, .899 fine silver.

Catalog reference: Dupl-811; Ciani-1129.

Source:

• 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.
• ^[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.

Link to:

• (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, Rouen mint
• France (1515-40)-Tours 1/2 teston
• (1528-40) demi-teston du Dauphiné, Crémieu mint
• (1515-40) teston, Rouen mint
• (1515-40) teston, Lyon mint
• (1515) écu d'or au soleil, Lyon mint, plain reverse
• (1515) écu d'or au soleil, Lyon mint, crowns and "F's" on the reverse
• (1515-28) écu d'or au soleil du Dauphiné
• (1515-47) écu d'or au soleil de Bretagne, Rennes mint
• Coins and currency dated 1515
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)