Charles IX King of France 1572.

[constanius]

 

Obv. ^.:^. CAROLVSIX.D.G.FRANCORVM.REX.INVIC.1572.

Rev. .* ELIZABETH.D.G.FRANCORVM.REGINA *.

Engraver: Germain Pilon.

 

Bronze 38mm dated 1572(St. Bartholomew's Day massacre) this is a restrike, the ponticon is so weakly struck cannot tell what it is but the colour is the old chocolate patination so I assume circa 1845. Of interest is the four small dots before the C in CAROLVS. Are these one of the marks used by the engravers who worked on restoring the dies for the Mint, or making new ones if the originals were beyond repair? These edge marks do not always mean that any given medal was struck from copied dies rather than original ones, just who was the Mint Master when they were struck & hence date able to his term of office.

[YeOldeCollector]

A lovely piece, Pat. It really reminds me of the Philip and Mary halfcrown in design: http://www.petitioncrown.com/spare16.html

[frank]

Beautiful medal, Constanius. I'm afraid I haven't an idea what the 4 dots signify, but I'm looking...

 

Some day I when I'm rich, I'll collect exclusively 16th-century French coins, jetons and medals.

[constanius]

Thanks Clive & Frank for your nice replies. Your comment "Some day I when I'm rich, I'll collect exclusively 16th-century French coins, jetons and medals" Frank prompted me to post my other 16th & early 17th French medals here in this one thread.

Henri III of France, King of Poland & Catherine de Medici (his mother). Circa 1575. Bronze 43mm no edge marks. Henri III was the last of the Valois kings. Henri III of Navarre succeeded him as Henri IV, the first of the Bourbon kings.

Henry IV 1589 to 1610. HENRICVS.IIII.D.G.FRAN.ET.NA.REX. Reverse legend: YVRIACA VICTORIA. French crown on sword,laurel branches grow from hilt, l.arms Fr. R.Navarre. The Battle of Ivry was fought on March 14, 1590. Bronze 50mm No Mint-Marks looks to be a re-strike. 1820?

Cardinal Richelieu, Armand-Jean Duplessis (1585-1642), Cast Bronze Tribute Medal, 1631, by Jean Warin (1606-72), obverse legend: ARMANVS IOAN CARD DE RICHELIEV bust right wearing biretta and robes, signed below, rev globe within a circle of stars, guided by a winged genius, MENS SIDERA VOLVIT, 51mm.

LE PRESIDENT DE THOU. I.D. HISTORIEN M. J617. I.D. Bronze 28mm. original strike. In 1723 Jean Dassier produced a series of medals honoring the Illustrious of the Age of Louis XIV which were struck in Paris. This is from that series.

Jacques Gillot. Bust r., in furred gown(en costume de magistrat) bare-headed. IAC. GILLOTVS. SENATOR. INTEGERIMVS.(sic) no reverse, cast bronze(with rim), 2.25 inches. circa 1600

[bill]

[YeOldeCollector]

Absolutely fantastic pieces, Pat. I am still drooling!

[Ian]

Of interest is the four small dots before the C in CAROLVS.

 

Having finally found some time to look up Ciani `Les Monnaies Royale Francaises', I see that there is at least one piece documented bearing the four points (Ciani 1375, which is a piefort demi teston of 1573). I would surmise (in keeping with French mint tradition) that the four points was the atellier (mint mark) of the engraver and the `rose' that of the mint master engaged at `La Medaille' (Paris Mint) at that time. Ciani notes that, on 29th October 1572 the post of Controleur General des Effigies' was created and given to the sculpter Germain Pilon. The probability is that the four points could possibly be Pilon's `atellier', given the nature of the piece at hand.

[constanius]

Thanks for the info Ian, I found here http://numismatics.org/collection/0000.999.69 conformation that your are right about it being by Germaine Pillon, no picture but the inscription matches. Many thanks Ian. Pat

Charles IX

references: Tresor.19.2|Mazerolle.243|Med.fran.(1892).38

issuer: Paris mint

artist: Pillon, Germaine

obverse type: bust, l.

obverse legend: CAROLVSIX.D.G.FRANCORVMREX.INVIC|.1572.

reverse type: bust, l.

reverse legend: ELIZABETH.D.G.FRANCORVM.REGINA

info: restrike

 

Edit: and now that you enlightened me & I could check in Forrer, it also confirms it is by Pillon.