France 1558-A teston
The first specimen was lot 744 in Jean Elsen sale 132 (Brussels, March 2017), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri II (1547-1559), AR teston du moulin, 1558A, Paris. 4e type. D/ B. l. et cuir. à d. R/ Ecu de France couronné. Rare Fines griffes. Beau à Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Henry II (1547-59), silver milled teston of 1558, Paris mint, fourth type. Obverse: laureate, cuirassed bust to right; reverse: crowned arms of France. Rare, fine scratches, fine to very fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 73602 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2022), where it sold for $1,080. The catalog description[2] noted, "FRANCE. Teston, 1558-A. Paris Mint. Henry II. NGC EF-40. A wholesome, very well stuck Teston, with exacting detail on the obverse bust, light even wear, and pleasing toning throughout." This teston was struck at the Paris mint 1554-58 along with the usual hammered coinage (Dupl-983). Milled coinage was experimental in the sixteenth century and would not be generally adopted in France until the reform of 1640-42, being strongly resisted by the moneyers' guild.
Recorded mintage: est. 29,835.
Specification: 9.59 g, .899 fine silver, this specimen 9,22 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl-990; Ci. 1285; Laf. 828, Sb 4588. The second specimen is Roberts-3535.
- 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.
- 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 132, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2017.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The February 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins, Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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