France (1515-47) ecu d'or Fr-363

Sincona sale 46, lot 324

This specimen was lot 324 in Sincona sale 46 (Zurich, May 2018), where it sold for 450 CHF (about US$540 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"Frankreich, François I. 1515-1547. Ecu dor au soleil de Bretagne o. J. (1. Typ), Rennes. Sehr schön. (kingdom of France, Francis I, 1515-47, undated écu d'or of the sunburst of Brittany, first type, Rennes mint. Very fine.)"

Duplessy notes a second type (Dupl-790) where a crowned "F" replaces one of the crowned ermines. Both had a face value of 40 sols tournois.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 3.44 g, .958 fine gold, this specimen 3.41 g.

Catalog reference: Duplessy 789. Fr-363.

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]Richter, Jürg, Auction 46, Gold Coins and Medals, Zurich: Sincona AG, 2018.

Link 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, Lyon mint
• (1515-28) écu d'or au soleil du Dauphiné
• (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
• (1519-40) écu d'or au soleil de Bretagne, deuxiéme type
• Coins and currency dated 1515
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)