MS
FRANCE - LOUIS XIII - 1/4 ÉCU 1642 PARIS - NGC MS63 - TOP POP
- Condition: MS
- Grade: NGC MS63
- Date: 1642
- Mint: Paris
- Metal: Silver
- Weight (g): 8.36
- Diameter (mm): 21.60
- Reference(s): nc
- Rarity: R1
Louis XIII (1610-1643), 1/4 écu, 1642, struck at Paris.
Obverse: laureate and draped bust of the king right, engraved by Jean Warin, legend LVDOVICVS XIII D G FR ET NAV REX. Reverse: crowned shield of France bearing three fleurs-de-lis, legend SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTVM, date 1642. Mint letter A (Paris). Two-pellet variety.
An exceptional example. Delicate cabinet toning with golden highlights. A rare state of preservation. Probably the finest example known.
Top Pop: this is the finest example graded!
A lesser example in MS62 sold for USD 2,200 (Heritage Auction 61259, lot 99022).
Note: the 1642 1/4 écu is one of the first issues of the new screw-press coinage introduced by Jean Warin, which revolutionised French minting by replacing the hammer with machinery. Warin's portrait marks a major stylistic break in French numismatics and ushers in the golden age of the modern medal. The two-pellet variety (noted on the NGC slab) corresponds to a specific die variant for this date.
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