Anglo-Gallic Coins

Triton XXI, Lot: 1532. Estimate $3000. Sold for $9500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ANGLO-GALLIC. Edward III. 1327-1377. AV Écu d’or (29mm, 4.39 g, 11h). Struck from circa 1344. + ЄDVVΛRDVS : DЄI x x GRΛ x x ΛGL’ : FRΛnCIЄ : RЄX, full-length figure of Edward seated facing on ornate Gothic throne, holding sword in left hand and resting coat-of-arms on ground with right; all within tressure of arches / + XP’ (trefoil) C : VInCIT : XP’C : RЄGNΛT : XP’C : IMPЄRΛT, ornate cross fleurée with central four petalled flower, bars end intrefoils; leaves in quarters; all within quadrilobe with arches ending in trefoils. Beresford-Jones, Anglo-Gallic 13/17; AGC 38A 2/a; Elias 33; Schneider 3; Duplessey 286C; Poey d'Avant 2835; SCBC 8035. VF, off center on reverse. Fully struck face. Rare.

Edward III began striking gold in his French territories shortly after he reintroduced native gold coinage to England, which had been without regular gold issues since early Anglo-Saxon times. The types adopted in Aquitaine are copied from the issues of Philippe VI of France. Coins of Edward, however, bear the legend “... AGL FRANCIE REX (King of France and England),” while issues of Philippe read “...FRANCORVM REX (King of the Franks).” These legends indicate a subtle difference in the way the two monarchs viewed their claims to the French throne.