France 1602-N 1/2 franc
This specimen was lot 1507 in Jean Elsen sale 151 (Brussels, June 2022), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"FRANCE, Royaume, Henri IV (1589-1610), AR demi-franc, 1602N, Montpellier. D/ B. l. et cuir. à d. R/ Croix fleuronnée, H en coeur. Frappe faible. presque Très Beau. (kingdom of France, Henry IV, 1589-1610, silver half franc of 1602, Montpellier mint. Obverse: armored and laureate bust right; reverse: floriate cross, "H" at the center. Weakly struck, about Very Fine.)"
The specimen shown is a demi-franc of Henry IV of France (r. 1589-1610) struck by the hammer at the Toulouse mint (mintmark "M") in 1596-1610. Each mint seems to have used a slightly different bust of the king. Sombart lists three known for this date, making it rather scarce.
Recorded mintage: 75,762 (including a few quarter francs).
Specification: 7.09 g, 0.833 fine silver, this specimen 6,95 g.
Catalog reference: Dupl. 1212A; Ci. 1534; Laf. 1061, Sb 4788.
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 151: Collection Paul Witte, Monnaies de Brabant, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2022.
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