Artois 1582 1/5 ecu
This specimen was lot 663 in Jean Elsen sale 115 (Brussels, December 2012) where it sold for €1500 (about US$2,289 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ARTOIS, Comté, Philippe II (1555-1598), AR cinquième d'écu Philippe, 1582, Arras. Avec un lion comme différent, séparant la date. Droit : PHS D G HISP Z REX CO ATREB B. cuirassé à droite. Revers: DOMINVS MIHI ADIVTOR Ecu couronné sur une croix de Bourgogne, entre deux briquets, portant le bijou de la Toison d'or. De la plus haute rareté. Ex HSA 1084. presque Très Beau. (county of Artois, Philip II (1555-98), silver fifth écu of 1582, Arras mint, with a lion dividng the date. Obverse: armored bust to right; reverse: crowned arms over a Burgundian cross with the jewels of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Extremely rare, about very fine.)"
Artois was conquered and annexed to France soon after this coin was issued.
Reported Mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 6,53 g.
Catalog reference: G.H., 212-9a; Dewismes, 147.
- van der Wis, Jan, and Tom Passon, Catalogus van de Nederlandse Munten geslagen sind bet aantreden van Philips II tot aan het einde van de Bataafse Republiek (1555-1806), 2nd ed., Apeldoorn, Netherlands: Omni-Trading b.v., 2009.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 115: Collection Huntington, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2012.
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