Sale: Nomos 1, Lot: 202. Estimate CHF3000.  Closing Date: Tuesday, 5 May 2009.  Sold For CHF4000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

FRANCE, Lorraine. Charles V. 1675-1690. Medal (Silver, 73.5mm, 92.7 g 12), Cast and gilt, 1678, on his marriage to the Archduchess Eleonora of Austria. ELEONORÆ.AVSTRIACÆ.ET.CAROLO.LOTHARINGICO Facing busts of Charles V, laureate and armored, and Eleonora, crowned and wearing elaborate robes ornamented with the Order of the Golden Fleece, both turned slightly to the right Rev. FLVIT.EX.ASTRIS.OMNIS.FELICITAS. Allegorical representation of a crown over two flaming hearts atop a janiform male and female head on a low pedestal; to left and right, crowed arms of Lorraine and Austria; above, in clouds, bearded god pouring out happiness from a vase. Florange, Lorraine, 13 December 1937, 145 (cast, gilt bronze, 73 mm) and 146 (cast silver but 53 mm). Collection M. M. Monnier, Rollin & Feuardent, 7 April 1874, 684. Montenuovo 833. Very rare, an original cast. Minor marks, otherwise, extremely fine.

While Charles V was officially Duke of Lorraine, throughout his reign his duchy was occupied by the French and he spent his time as a general in the forces of the Emperor (his grandson Francis III became emperor himself when he married Maria Theresia - the duchy finally became a permanent French possession in 1766). He was an accomplished soldier and rose to be commander of the Imperial forces at the relief of Vienna from the Turks in 1683. This strong link to the Habsburgs was strengthened by his marriage in 1678 to Eleonora, one of the daughters of Ferdinand III. Born in 1653, she was ten years younger than Charles V and had previously been married in 1670 to Michael Korybut, King of Poland (he died in 1670). Her marriage to Charles V seems to have been a happy one and they had six children, of whom two died in infancy. It should be noted that this coin is dated by a chronogram - all the letters M, C, L, X, V and I on both sides of the coin are larger in size to indicate that they are being used as Roman numerals; when added up they arrive at 1678.