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1724-A [Paris Mint] Ecu aux 8 L’s, Gadoury 320.

Currency:CAD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:250.00 CAD Estimated At:550.00 - 600.00 CAD
1724-A [Paris Mint] Ecu aux 8 L’s, Gadoury 320.
SOLD
250.00CAD+ buyer's premium (50.00)
This item SOLD at 2019 May 02 @ 19:48UTC-4 : AST/EDT

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.

The Chameau Treasure Ship Coinage - 1724-A [Paris Mint] Ecu aux 8 L’s, Gadoury 320. Uncirculated, a rather choice survivor from this treasure ship, the legends full on either side, those at the left bold, the ones at the right weaker but visible, the date and mintmark both sharp. This coin was clearly sandwiched between other coins or wreckage, the left side being protected and choice, the right side more exposed to water, with very fine roughness and some pitting, more on the obverse. Despite this, the coin is choice in appearance for a Chameau coin – finer than probably 99% of those brought up from the seabed! Gadoury calls this particular date and mintmark common, though it was extremely rare on Le Chameau, with just three or four verified examples found. Far fewer of the 1724-dated coins were recovered than those dated 1725 – which makes sense, because the earlier dates would have been put into circulation before the ship sailed, while a larger chunk of the 1725-dated pieces were on hand to make the journey. Being the first year of issue for the type, and struck at the Paris Mint, some of this type did make their way into collector’s cabinets instead of onto the ill-fated ship – they were large, attractive and silver, after all – and the grading services have a dozen or so slabbed in Uncirculated grades. Those coins, however, are NOT treasure ship coins, and while they certainly are more attractive, they do not have the historical importance that the present example has, as its very provenance shows that it was specifically sent to the French Colonies in North America. The Gadoury reference makes no distinction between those found in the treasure ship and those that remained extant in France since their mintage – but collectors have nearly always paid a premium for those from Le Chameau.