1712-AA 15 Den XV over XXX, Vlack-13c MS(PCGS#905859)

Winter 2022 U.S. Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

1044

等级

AU53

价格

37,289

详细说明

The Discovery 1712-AA XV over XXX 15 Deniers Vlack Plate Coin 1712-AA French Colonies 15 Deniers, or Demi-Mousquetaire. Metz Mint. Vlack-13c. XV over XXX. Rarity-8. AU-53 (PCGS). 19.9 grains. From Syd’s inventory of this coin: “The XV has clearly been struck over XXX. This piece is important in that it amplifies discussion of an earlier discovery (uncertain whether error, pattern, etc.) proving its error status. This is the discovery coin.” The coin Syd mentioned as an earlier discovery is the coin in the previous lot, but this discovery was all his own. So far as we know, just two are known, this and a low grade duplicate in Syd’s collection. The overdenomination error is very clear under low magnification, and this reverse die unquestionably began with XXX DENIERS punched into it before XXX was corrected to XV. Importantly, it’s also a different die than the reverse seen in the previous lot, meaning that some misled engraver made the mistake at least twice. The coin is glossy deep gray with nice light silver color around design elements where luster was last to fade. Some light planchet striations are seen, most notable at central and left peripheral obverse. Well struck and well centered, attractive in addition to being interesting and rare. This is one of the prizes of Syd’s very special collection of this series. Additional information pertaining to this lot: The 1709 - 1713 Mousquetaires and Demi Mousquetaires of Lyon and Metz From Mobile Bay to Montreal, the billon 30 deniers or mousquetaire was a staple of small change across Nouvelle France. Along with its 15 deniers half fraction, the type - nicknamed for similarity of its cross to that found on King Louis' Royal Musketeers - was adopted into American collecting somewhat later than other related issues. In his 1892 Histoire Monétaire des Colonies Françaises d'après les Documents Officiels, Ernest Zay noted that Canada was "abundantly provided with 30 deniers coins of 1710, those with the two addorsed Ls, called mousquetaires." As accurate as his statement seems to have been, based upon archaeological discoveries throughout Canada, the Gulf Coast, and the Mississippi Valley, Zay provides little documentation for his statement, and he is among the authors who seems to conflate the "old sols," which were almost certainly the hammered issues counterstamped in 1640 and recoined beginning in 1692, with other later billon issues. American collectors were slow to collect the mousquetaires alongside their brethren. Albert Frey mentioned them as Canadian in his 1916 "Dictionary of Numismatic Names," published in the American Journal of Numismatics, citing Zay as his source. Zay was also the inspiration for a correspondent to B. Max Mehl's Mehl's Numismatic Monthlyin January 1917 who noted Zay "gives a place in the Canadian series to a coin I have for a long time suspected of being entitled to such a place. It is a thirty deniers of 1710." The correspondent noted he had seen only one of these coins, decades earlier. The mousquetaires were not listed in Wayte Raymond's Standard Catalogue of United States Coins, despite Walter Breen's affection for the type and his important role in the book's 18th (and best) edition. Perhaps inspired by R.C. Willey's excellent series of articles in the Canadian Numismatic Journal entitled "The Numismatics of the French Regime Re-Examined," Breen was incorporating the mousquetaires into New Netherlands Coin Company advertising by 1970, when a company ad in The Numismatistlisted a low grade mousquetaire ("VG or better) and a similar demi-mousquetaire ("VG .. miserably struck on a granular, rough planchet") as "very rare" and "rarer." The types became a staple of the Guide Book of United States Coinsand thus an important part of a Red Book type set shortly thereafter. They have been broadly collected in the United States and Canada ever since. The series is short and simple: two denominations, two mints, five dates for the 30 deniers and three for the 15 deniers. While the demi-mousquetaire is clearly the more elusive denomination, and the concept of rarity is a construct that only has meaning in the context of demand, it's tough to call these coins rare. That stated, most are wretched. The Syd Martin Collection includes some of the best examples of this series extant: superb condition, exciting and rare varieties, and pattern piedfort strikes. Few collectors endeavor to complete a date and mint set of these issues (even Ted Craige didn't), and fewer still pursue the series as fervently as Syd. For the collector who seeks to build a collection of these fascinating issues, Vlack's An Illustrated Catalogue of the French Billon Coins in the Americasoffers the roadmap. Current valuations for typical specimens offer a low barrier of entry to an advanced collection. The opportunity to acquire coins of the quality of those offered is, however, very scarce indeed. Provenance: From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex American Heritage Minting (Bill Paul), June 1998. PCGS# 905859. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA.