Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 198. Estimate CHF10000.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF22000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

FRANCE, Provincial. Dombes. Gaston and Marie. 1626-1627. Teston (Silver, 9.25 g 8), 1629. GASTON.ET.MARIE.SOVV.DE.DOMBES On the left, bare-headed and draped bust of Gaston to right, facing, on the right, draped bust of Marie to left; below their busts, monogram of M and G Rev. DNS ADIVTOR ET REDEM NOSTER 1629 Crowned arms between the crowned monograms of Gaston and Marie. Divo 163. Poey d’Avant 5177. Extremely rare. Attractively toned and with good portraits. Nearly extremely fine.

The principality of Dombes is in eastern France, just northeast of Lyon. In the 16th and 17th centuries its rulers were of the Bourbon-Montpensier family. After the untimely death of Prince Henri (1592-1608) the succession devolved upon his very young daughter Marie. She ruled alone, first under the regency of her mother and then under her uncle, from 1608 to 1626. As an infant she had been destined to marry the Duke of Orléans, but he died in 1611 and then she was affianced to Gaston, brother of Louis XIII. The marriage finally took place in 1626. She died on 29 May 1627 while giving birth to her only child, Anne-Marie Louise, who became known as ‘la grande Mademoiselle’ and was the last independent ruler of Dombes. Marie’s coinage is very rare in general; those with her husband Gaston are especially so. This piece was, however, struck posthumously: an old obverse die was used with a new, dated reverse, and was issued during Gaston’s long regency for his daughter (1627-1650).