France 1767-R ecu

Jean Elsen sale 112, lot 1244

This specimen was lot 1244 in Jean Elsen sale 112 (Brussels, March 2012) where it sold for € 85 (about US$133 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE ROYALE, Louis XV (1715-1774), AR écu au bandeau, 1767 R, Orléans. Droit: Tête à gauche, ceinte d'un bandeau. Revers: Ecu de France couronné, entre deux rameaux d'olivier. Graffiti au revers. Belle patine. Très Beau. (Kingdom of France, Louis XV, silver écu with headband of 1767, Orléans mint. Obverse: head to left, hair tied in a ribbon; reverse: crowned arms of France between two olive branches. Graffiti on reverse, nice toning, very Fine.)"

Après nous, le déluge.—Louis XV (1710-1774).

According to legend, Louis is alleged to have quipped, “After us, the flood,” predicting the collapse of the regime after his death. He was more likely expressing despair at his many defeats at the hands of Frederick the Great. The long reign of Louis XV (1715-74) saw many coin types come and go. The first part of the reign, while Louis was a child, was a period of monetary confusion and manipulation. The reforms of Cardinal Fleury (1726) stabilized the fiscal situation until the total collapse at the eve of the Revolution. Numismatically, this period can be divided into three epochs, marked by the écu aux branches d’olivier (1726-40), the écu au bandeau (1740-72) and the écu à la vielle tête (1770-74). This specimen belongs to the middle period.

Recorded mintage: 390,100.

Specification:

• Obverse: LUD.XV.D.G.FR ET NAV. REX. (for Pau, NA.RE. BD), king’s head left, hair tied with a ribbon;
• reverse: SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTUM (date), oval shield of France, crowned, between two olive branches tied with ribbon, mintmark below; edge lettered DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM.
• composition: silver, 11 deniers (.917 fine), 8.3 pieces to the mark (29.488 g), face value 6 livres, 39 mm diameter, this specimen 29,18 g. Engraved by Joseph-Charles Röettiers.

Catalog reference: Dav-1331, Dupl-1680; Gad-322; Dr/4 no. 820, Dr/2 no. 584, KM 523.

Sources:

• Alhéritière, Edouard, and Ludovic Deswelle, "Les écus de Louis XV de bandeau: point de situation," Numismatique et Change, No. 349 [Mai 2004], pp. 61-63.
• ^[2]Clairand, Armand, Monnaies de Louis XV, Le temps de la Stabilité Monetaire, 1726-1774, Paris: Maison Platt, 1996.
• Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
• Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
• Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 4me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2012.
• Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
• ^[1]Elsen, Philippe, Vente Publique 112, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses fils, S.A., 2012.

Link to:

• 1765-Pau écu au bandeau
• 1767-& demi-sol d'Aix
• 1767-S 1/10 écu
• 1767-AA écu au bandeau
• 1767-L écu au bandeau
• 1767-N écu au bandeau
• 1767-Pau louis d'or du Béarn au bandeau
• 1767-M double louis d'or au bandeau
• 1767-Q double louis d'or au bandeau
• 1767-R double louis d'or au bandeau
• 1768-L écu au bandeau
• Coins and currency dated 1767
• return to French Royal coinage (to 1793)