France 1576-A teston

Jean Elsen sale 136, lot 1421

This specimen was lot 1421 in Jean Elsen sale 136 (Brussels, March 2018), where it did not sell. The catalog description^[1] noted,

"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri III (1574-1589), AR teston, 1576A, point 18e, Paris. D/ B. l. et cuir. à d., au col plat. R/ Ecu de France couronné, entre deux H couronnés. Frappe faible au droit. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Henry III, 1574-89, silver teston of 1576, dot under 18th letter, Paris mint. Obverse: laureate and armored bust to right with flat collar; reverse: crowned arms of France between two crowned "H's". Weakly struck on obverse, very fine.)"

This type was struck 1575-77 with a flat collar (shown here) or a ruffed collar (Dupl-1126). The dot under the 18th letter is a relic of the old secret mark system of identifying French mints before the reform of 1540.

Recorded mintage: est. 108,835 (Sombart does not list the flat collar type for 1576-A), a better date.

Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9,52 g.

Catalog reference: Dupl. 1126A; Ci. -; Laf. 966, Sb 4654.

Source:

• Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
• Sombart, Stéphan, Franciae IV: Catalogue des Monnaies Royales Françaises de François Ier à Henri IV (1540-1610), Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 1997.
• ^[1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 136: Collection Martiny, Collection Nef, Collection Casterman, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2018.

Link to:

• 1575-K teston
• 1573-A teston, piedfort
• 1576-9 quart franc au col plat
• 1576-A franc au col plat
• 1576-B franc au col plat
• 1576-F franc au col plat
• 1576-T franc au col plat
• 1576-G teston
• 1576-H teston
• 1576-L teston
• 1576-M teston
• Coins and currency dated 1576
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)