An écu of Louis XIV, 1711, Rennes

[robinjojo]

In the diminishing late afternoon light yesterday (I like to photograph with natural light, avoiding flash whenever possible), I pulled out a crown of Louis XIV of France, the "Sun King".  This a coin that I've owned since July 2001, a purchase from Karl Stephens, as so many over the years were.

This coin was produced in the later years of the War of the Spanish Succession, a thirteen-year conflict (July 9, 1701 – February 6, 1715)  that pitted France against just about the rest of Europe, including the England and Scotland, later Great Britain in 1707.  This was a vast war, on a global scale, including the West Indies and South America, and a very costly one for the combatants, especially for France with 400,000–500,000 wounded and killed, the most for any single country.

Battle of Blenheim (August 13, 1704)

France prevailed, with Bourbon Philip V confirmed to the Spanish throne, although he had to renounce any claim to the French throne.  Other combatants gained and conceded territories under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) and the Treaties of Rastatt and Baden (1714).  Conflict came to a close with the capitulation of Catalonia and Majorca in June 1715 to Philip V of Spain.

The coinage of Louis XIV is as vast as his reign was long.  With the écu coinage, an its subsidiary denominations, as well as his gold coinage, it is possible to assemble a set of his portraits, from that of a young boy to a very elderly (for his time) man.

France, Louis XIV, écu of three crowns, Rennes (9).

Dav 1324; KM 386.23

30.31 grams

 

I have a few other écus that I hope to photograph soon. 

Please post your examples and well as any other denominations of Louis XIV and his predecessors and successors.

Thanks!

[ominus1]

..kool!..i have a 15 sols of ole Louie de 14th..1662, 21mm, 2.07gms

[Kali]

Louis XIV (1638 - 1715 A.D.)
AR Ecu
O: LVD•XIIII•D•G (soleil) FR•ET•NAV•REX, Bust with square neckline.
R: Lettering: SIT•NOMEN•DOMINI• E BENEDICTVM 1693 M Crowned round arms of France within sprays.
Toulouse - flan réformé
38mm
27.45g
Dy# 1520

[DonnaML]

Nice! I have only one crown-sized French silver coin, which I bought more than 35 years ago.

France, AR Ecu de 6 livres françois, Paris 1792 (L'An 4), Mintmark A. Obv. Bare head Left, LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCOIS/ Rev. Winged Genius of France standing right, inscribing Constitution on tablet set on column (with title "CONSTI-[TUT]ION" visible); in left field, fasces topped by liberty cap; in right field, rooster standing left; REGNE DE LA LOI. In exergue, in two lines: L'AN 4 DE LA LIBERTE. KM 615.1, Davenport 1335, Gadoury 55. 39 mm., 29.4 g. Purchased March 5, 1986 from Harmer, Rooke Numismatists, Ltd., New York.

Edited December 2, 2022 by DonnaML

[robinjojo]

5 hours ago, Kali said:

Louis XIV (1638 - 1715 A.D.)
AR Ecu
O: LVD•XIIII•D•G (soleil) FR•ET•NAV•REX, Bust with square neckline.
R: Lettering: SIT•NOMEN•DOMINI• E BENEDICTVM 1693 M Crowned round arms of France within sprays.
Toulouse - flan réformé
38mm
27.45g
Dy# 1520

That's a very interesting "Reformation" écu.  These were écus that were struck over earlier types.  In the case of your coin the under-type seems to be an Ecu aux 8 L.  

On the reverse there's a faint, but visible top of a fleur-de-lis near the lower right of the crown.

Part of the under coin's date is visible on the obverse, next to the shoulder to the left.  I see 169?  That last digit might be an O, which would make the date 1690.

The "M" on the reverse is, I believe, Toulouse. 

[Qcumbor]

Nice one @robinjojo

I don't have anymore the Louis XV ecu I bought 40 years ago.

Instead, I have a few 1/5 to 1/4 ecu size coins from that period

Louis XIII - quart d'ecu, 1643 Paris mint

 

Louis XIV - quart d'ecu aux palmes, 1694 Lyon mint

 

Louis XV - cinquième d'ecu au bandeau, 1759 Bayonne mint

 

Louis XVI - cinquieme d'ecu aux lauriers, 1784 Paris mint

 

Q

[panzerman]

On 12/1/2022 at 5:17 PM, robinjojo said:

This coin was produced in the later years of the War of the Spanish Succession, a thirteen-year conflict (July 9, 1701 – February 6, 1715)  that pitted France against just about the rest of Europe, including the England and Scotland, later Great Britain in 1707.  This was a vast war, on a global scale, including the West Indies and South America, and a very costly one for the combatants, especially for France with 400,000–500,000 wounded and killed, the most for any single country.

 

Probably should have been WW1/ with the Seven Years War WW2. Both events were global.....

[ChrisB]

All I have is this 1653 dated ECU

 

[ominus1]

4 hours ago, ChrisB said:

All I have is this 1653 dated ECU

...that's enough ta get ya in Chris....:D

[antwerpen2306]

my ecu of this type, mint Paris.