Charles VI (1380-1422) gold Ecu d'Or a la couronne ND (from 1394) MS61 NGC, Uncertain mint, Fr-291, cf. Ciani-488 (unrecorded with pellet to left of cross), Dup-369C (same). 3.91gm. 4th Emission (from 29 July 1394). + (pellet in first quarter of cross) KAROLVS: DЄI: GRACIA: FRAnCORVm: RЄX (double saltire stops), crowned royal arms of France / + (pellet in first quarter of cross) XPC • VIИCIT • XPC • RЄGИAT • XPC • IИPЄRAT (mullet stops), cross fleurée, a star in the center; all within a quadrilobe with lis at points and crowns in spandrels. A very peculiar issue, and one that seems to express an unpublished variant with a tiny pellet in the first quarter of the cross at the beginning of the legends. The fact that this feature appears on both the obverse and reverse clearly suggests that it was likely intended to represent the mint workshop, and although Duplessy mentions that some silver issues from 11 September 1389 show a pellet below the initial cross for Paris, he makes no such mention of any similar mark for the gold coinage. Certainly a selection worthy of closer study, and the only such example we have been able to locate. Likely a bit conservatively graded, given the brilliance of the luster over the surfaces.

HID09801242017

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