France 1556-B henri d'or

Jean Elsen sale 141, lot 1085

This specimen was lot 1085 in Jean Elsen sale 141 (Brussels, June 2019), where it sold for €2,100 (about US$2,783 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri II (1547-1559), AV Henri d'or, 1556B, Rouen. D/ B. l. et cuir. à d. R/ Croix formée de quatre H couronnés, cantonnée de deux croissants et deux lis. Très rare. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Henry II, 1547-59, gold henry of 1556, Rouen mint. Obverse: laureate and armored bust right; reverse: cross formed of four crowned "H's", cantonned with two lilies and two crescents. Very rare, Very Fine.)"

This type was struck at numerous mints 1550-62. It had a face value of fifty sols tournois, the same as the écu d'or. The denomination was continued after his death in 1559 by his teenage sons, Francis II and Charles IX.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 3.653 g, .958 fine gold, this specimen 3,56 g.

Catalog reference: Fr-368, Dupl-972; Ci. 1244; Laf. 810.

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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 141, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2019.

Link to:

• 1551-B double henri d'or
• 1552-A écu d'or aux croissants
• 1554-G double henri d'or
• 1557-B double henri d'or
• 1559-B henri d'or
• Coins and currency dated 1556
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)