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1740-X [Amiens Mint] Billon Half Sous Marques. Vlack 317. Rarity-7.

Currency:CAD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:200.00 CAD Estimated At:500.00 - 550.00 CAD
1740-X [Amiens Mint] Billon Half Sous Marques.  Vlack 317.  Rarity-7.

Buyer’s Premiums will be added on all items as per the Terms & Conditions of the sale. Invoices will be emailed out after The Toronto Coin Expo.

1740-X [Amiens Mint] Billon Half Sous Marques. Vlack 317. Rarity-7. This is the Vlack PLATE COIN for the French Colonies book, and appeared as Lot 5416 of the Stack’s sale of his collection, where it was described as: “Overall Fine. A very rare variety of this one year only issue from the Amiens Mint. Rather dark and quite rough with a significant gouge in the upper left reverse quadrant.” The piece is much sharper than the Fine grade it was given in the sale, and VF would certainly be more appropriate. The legends are full, with the IC of BENEDICT and the AV of NAV weaker than the rest but visible, the date and all-important mintmark both bold. The coin is also not dark and rough – it is medium silver with darker gold toning, and what initially looks like roughness are the areas where the original silvering has flaked off, leaving the underlying billon surfaces exposed. The only other auction record we have for the variety is the Ford coin, there called VF but likely a full EF that shows similar flaking away of the silvering, which realized $1,610, This coin has rarity, provenance and was the plate coin in the standard reference.