France 1562-Z teston
This specimen was lot 1079 in Jean Elsen sale 145 (Brussels, September 2020), where it sold for €120 (about US$171 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Charles IX (1560-1574), AR teston du Dauphiné, 1562Z (le 2 inversé), Grenoble. D/ B. l. et cuir. à g. R/ Ecu couronné, écartelé France et Dauphiné. Rare Griffe au droit. Beau à Très Beau/Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Charles IX, 1560-74, silver teston of Dauphiny of 1562, Grenoble mint. The "2" in the date is inverted. Obverse: laureate and armored bust to left; reverse: crowned and quartered arms of France and Dauphiny. Rare, obverse scratch, Fine - Very Fine/Very Fine.)"
This type was struck at Grenoble 1562-74 and was worth twelve sols tournois. It is priced about triple the issue of common mints such a Bayonne or Toulouse. Note the date in Arabic numerals. Nine different testons are recorded for the reign.
Recorded mintage: est. 28,585[3].
Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9,32 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-1081; Ci. 1365; Laf. 911, Sb 4642.
- [2]Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
- Roberts, James N., The Silver Coins of Medieval France (476-1610 AD), S. Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1996.
- [3]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 145, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
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