France 1563-L teston
This specimen was lot 1113 in Jean Elsen sale 141 (Brussels, June 2019), where it sold for €80 (about US$106 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Charles IX (1560-1574), AR teston, 1563L, Bayonne. 3e type. D/ B. l. et cuir. à g. R/ Ecu couronné, entre deux K couronnés. Léger tréflage. Belle patine. Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Charles IX, 1560-74, silver teston of 1563, Bayonne mint, third type. Obverse: laureate and armored bust left; reverse: crowned arms between two crowned "K's". Lightly doubled, nice patina, Very Fine.)"
This teston is the third type issued for Charles IX. It has crowned "K's" instead of "C's" and the date in Arabic numerals and was struck only at Bayonne. At the time, it was worth 12 sols tournois. It was struck 1561-74.
Recorded mintage: est. 103,326, a common date.
Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9,25 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-1069; Ci. 1359; Laf. 899, Sb 4610.
- 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.
- 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 141, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2019.
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