France 1697-T ecu
This specimen was lot 1583 in Jean Elsen sale 156 (Brussels, September 2023), where it sold for €320 (about US$411 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Louis XIV (1643-1715), AR écu aux palmes, 1697 T, Nantes. Flan neuf. D/ B. cuir. à d. R/ Ecu de France rond, couronné, entre deux palmes. Extrêmement rare. Beau à Très Beau/Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Louis XIV (1643-1715), silver écu of the palms of 1697, Nantes mint, new planchet. Obverse: armored bust right; reverse: crowned round arms of France between two palms. Extremely rare, Fine - Very Fine/Very Fine.)"
This type was struck 1693-1701 in large quantities, mostly overstriking older écus ("flans reformés"). This one was struck on a new blank and is rare thus. It was succeeded by the écu aux insignes.
Recorded mintage: 8,588 fn + 9,792 rf.
Specification: 27.45 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 27,13 g.
Catalog reference: KM 298.18, Dav-3813, Dr/4 № 510, Dupl-1520; Sobin 10A (unlisted date); Gad-217 (high price); L4L 259 (high price).
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1600-1700, Galesburg, IL, 1974.
- 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.
- Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Royales Françaises, 1610-1792, 5me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2018.
- George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 156, Collection de Monnaies de la Principauté de Liège, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2023.
Link to:
- 1696-X écu aux palmes
- 1697-AA liard de France au buste âgé
- 1697-W huitième d'écu de Flandre aux palmes
- 1697-W quart d'écu aux palmes
- 1697-BB 35 sols de Strasbourg aux palmes
- 1697-I demi-écu aux palmes
- 1697-A écu aux palmes
- 1697-H écu aux palmes
- 1697-I écu aux palmes
- 1697-A louis d'or aux quatre L
- 1697-M louis d'or aux 4 L
- 1697-P louis d'or aux quatre L, contemporary counterfeit
- 1697-AA double louis d'or aux quatre L
- 1698-A écu aux palmes
- Coins and currency dated 1697
- return to French royal coinage (to 1793)