France 1700-BB 2 louis d'or
This specimen was lot 2762 in Sincona sale 83 (Zurich, May 2023), where it sold for 4,250 CHF (about US$5,688 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANKREICH, Louis XIV. 1643-1715. 2 Louis d'or aux quatre L 1700 BB, Strasbourg. Réformation. Fast FDC. Minimal berieben, sonst prachtvolle Erhaltung (kingdom of France, Louis XIV, 1643-1715, gold double louis of the four "L's" of 1700, Strasbourg mint, reformed. About uncirculated, Very light cleaning, otherwise magnificent condition)." This type is usually found struck over older coins, a process involving all French silver and gold coinage during 1690-1709. These "reformations" were the result of financial manipulations too tedious to discuss here. The double louis d'or à l'écu was succeeded by the double louis d'or aux 4 L struck 1693-1700. Droulers[2] prices this issue as a fairly common date altho the type is too rare and expensive to be collected by date.
Recorded mintage: 11,841, all fn, a common date of a rare type.
Specification: 13.50 g, .917 fine gold, reeded edge, 28-30 mm diameter, designed by J. Röettiers; this specimen 13.47 g.
Catalog reference: Dr/4 № 399, Fr-432; KM 303.4, Gad-260.
- [2]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.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Richter, Jurg, SINCONA Auction 83, World and Swiss Coins and Medals, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2023.
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