FRENCH COIN COLLECTING ?
The First Royal Coins
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A Gros Tournois of Saint Louis Estimated at :1500 FRF |  |
A Denier of Philippe I, struck in Orléans around 1060 Estimated at 900 FRF |
| The end of the Carolingian empire marks the beginning of the French monarchy, with Hugues Capet being elected King of France in 987. Beginning with a territory limited to the 'Ile de France'' around Paris, Hugues and his successors were to create the greatest European power. Europe, at the time, stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ural Mountains, for the Kiev kingdom then acted as a barrier against the threat from Asia. Moreover, Henri I, the second son of Hugues Capet (1031-1060) married Anne of Kiev, the daughter of the Russian king. The coins of the kings of France, of this era, take as their model those of Charlemagne : the cross, a monogram and the name of the town are inscribed on the coins, often the best political indications we have. |
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A Douzain, featuring a porcupine, from Louis XI, struck in Rouen after 19th November 1507 Estimated at : 1500 FRF |
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A Carlin, struck in Naples by LOUIS XII, around 1501. Estimated at : 4 500 FRF |
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The coins of Hugues, Henri, Philippe and Louis, all in silver, are to be found from two hundred francs (forty dollars) upwards and the rarest and most important specimens can go up to thirty thousand francs (five thousand dollars). |
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A gold Ecu, featuring a crown, struck by Charles V, probably in Rouen. (MONNAIES V 950) Sold at : 3 600 FRF |
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The recommended book to read is ' Monnaies Royales Françaises , tome I' by Jean Duplessy .There is no existing reference collection except at the National French Library (BnF) |
