France 1790-A 1/2 ecu

This half écu was issued in Paris during the reign of Louis XVI of France. The mintages 1775-1783 are mostly small but 1790-A and 1791-A are the most common dates. This specimen shows adjustment marks on the reverse, which is typical for the period.

Recorded mintage: 650,000 estimated^[1].

Specification: Silver, .917 fine, 14.74 g, 30.5 mm diameter.

Design:

• Obverse: uniformed and peruked bust of Louis XVI facing left, legend LUD XVI D. G. FR. ET NAV. REX. (Louis XVI, by the grace of God, king of France and Navarre).
• Reverse: oval arms of France, crowned, with olive branches around, legend SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTUM 1789. Edge engraved, "DOMINE SALVUM FAC REGEM," Latin for "God save the king." The mintmark ("A" for Paris) is at the bottom, between "DOMINI" and "BENEDICTUM."

Catalog reference: Dr/4 no. 885, Dr/2 no. 618, KM 562.1.

Source:

• ^[1]Droulers, Frédéric, Répertoire General des Monnaies de Louis XIII à Louis XVI (1610-1792), 2nd édition. Paris: AFPN, 1998.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.

Link to:

• 1789-A demi-écu au bust habillé
• 1790-W liard à l'écu
• 1790-A 1/10 écu au bust habillé
• 1790-AA demi-écu au buste habillé
• 1790-A écu au buste habillé
• 1790-AA écu au buste habillé
• 1790-I écu au buste habillé
• 1790-A double louis d'or à la tête nue
• 1790-K double louis d'or à la tête nue
• 1791-A demi-écu au buste habillé
• Coins and currency dated 1790
• return to French Royal coinage (to 1793)