France (1290-95) gros
The first specimen was lot 943 in Jean Elsen sale 146 (Brussels, November 2020), where it sold for €60 (about US$88 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Philippe IV le Bel (1285-1314), AR gros tournois à l'O long, 1290-1295. Différent: trois points en triangle dans la légende du revers. D/ + PHILIPPVS REX (L fleurdelisé) Croix pattée. R/ TVRONVS CIVIS Châtel tournois. Fine fêlure du flan. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Philip IV the Handsome, 1285-1314, silver gros tournois à l'O long of 1290-95, with privy mark of three dots in a triangle on the reverse. Obverse: cross pattée; reverse: castles of Tours. Fine planchet crack, Very Fine.)"
Louis IX ordained and issued the first gros tournois about 1267 (Dupl-190). Of good silver, it was enthusiastically accepted as a replacement for the debased and shrivelled denier. Philippe III maintained the coin at the standard of his father (Dupl-202). Philippe IV, nicknamed le roi faux-monnayeur ("the king of counterfeits"), issued a gros tournois at the old standard (Dupl-213) but raised the value of this coin from 12 to 13⅛ deniers tournois. Specimens with "PHILIPPVS" are attributed to Philip IV while those with "PHILIPVS" are attributed to Philip III. Note also the dots after the "S" in "TVRONVS".
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.21 g, 0.958 fine silver, the first specimen 4,00 g, the second specimen 3.34 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl. 214; Ci. 206; Laf. 218.
- Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome I, 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]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 146: Collection Anthony Lorrain Monnaies de Metz, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
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