Very Rare Charles VIII & Anne of Brittany Medal

Triton XVIII, Lot: 1511. Estimate $2000. Sold for $1600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

FRANCE, Royal. Charles VIII l'Affable (the Affable). 1483-1498. AR Medal (40mm, 12.94 g, 9h). By Louis Lepère (fl. 1456-1500), Jean Lepère (fl. 1492 -† c. 1534-1537), and Nicolas de Florence (†1499. Dated 1493, but probably struck circa 1502 or 1515. + FELIX FORTVNA DIV EXPLORATVM ACTVLIT 1 4 9 3 (a fortunate happenstance brought him so long looked for), crowned and draped bust of Charles VIII right, wearing the Order of St. Michael; behind, semée of fleurs-de-lis; double annulet stops / + R P LVGDVNEN (lion rampant left) ANNA REGNANTE CONFLAVIT ( the Lyonnaise republic forged this during the reign of Anne), crowned bust of Anne of Brittany to right, wearing rosary; behind, semée of ermines; double annulet stops. Chabouillet, Catalogue 2902; Armand I, p. 89, 24; Jones 13; Pollard 599 = Kress 526; M. Veillon, “Genèse et Essor de la Médaille Royale dans la France,” The Medal 50, Spring 2007, p. 18, fig. 5. Fine, toned, holed for suspension. One of the most important and most interesting of all early French struck medals.

From the RAJ Collection. Reportedly purchased from Paul Bosco, 1997.