France 1698-A ecu

from the Mountain Groan Collection

The specimen shown is an écu aux palmes ("écu with palms") struck in Paris during the reign of Louis XIV of France. This type was struck 1693-1701 in large quantities, mostly overstriking older écus ("flans reformés"--this specimen is a "flan neuf"). It was succeeded by the écu aux insignes. Droulers^[1] prices this date about 30% more than the common date, but even a common date is priced 20% higher than an écu à la mèche longue.

Recorded mintage: 344,441 "flans neufs" plus an unknown number of "flans reformés."^[1]

Specification: 27.45 g, .917 fine silver, 38-41 mm diameter, edge lettered DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM.

Catalog reference: Dr/4 no. 510, Dr/2 № 410, Dav-3813, KM 298.1.

Source:

• ^[1]Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 4e édition. Paris: AFPN, 2009.
• Duplessy, Jean, Les Monnaies Françaises Royales de Hugues Capet à Louis XVI (987-1793), Tome II, 2e édition, Paris: Maison Platt, 1999.
• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.

Links to:

• 1652-C écu à la mèche longue
• 1697-A écu aux palmes
• 1697-H écu aux palmes
• 1697-I écu aux palmes
• 1698-P liard de France au buste agé
• 1698-A demi-écu aux palmes
• 1698-X demi-écu aux palmes
• 1698-W demi-écu aux palmes
• 1698-W écu carambole
• 1698-A double louis d'or aux quatre L
• 1699-BB 17½ 'sols de strasbourg
• 1699-K écu aux palmes
• 1701-Pau écu aux insignes
• Coins and currency dated 1698
• return to French royal coinage (to 1793)