51 Gallery
April 2018 Auction 25 Apr 2018
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French States, Navarre, Charles le Mauvais (1349-1387), Florin (1349-1387) (Évreux ?) (Gold, 3.34 gr, 21 mm) St. John standing holding scepter and raising hand in benediction S IOHANNES B Rev. Florentine lily FLOREX CHA. Poey d'Avant (unlisted), Chalon suppl. page XXIII, Gamb. 650 (Florent de Hainaut), Friedberg 37a (Italy), Grierson RN (1962) pages 187-192. Extremely Fine.
This gold florin has been subject of many attributions. The legend FLOR-EX CHA is clearly arranged to imitate the FLOR-ENTIA prototype. Renier Chalon proposed to read it FLORenus EX Committee Hanonia, for William II, Count of Hainaut (1337-1345). This proposition was rejected by Camille Picqué, because "the physiognomy of money is neither Flemish, nor Brabant, nor Hennuyère". Chalon also proposed an attribution to the bishopric of Cambrai, the legend having to read FLORenus EX CHAmeraco. But the aspect of money is very different from the florins of Cambrai. Charles Robert refused to include it in his monograph on the numismatics of Cambrai. A new reading was then advanced by Morel-Fatio, who had noticed that several copies came from northern Italy: FLORenus EX CHAreto (or CHArretis), for the Marquisate of Carretto in Piedmont. In this case it would be one of the many imitations produced in Cortemiglia's studio. This study was accepted by Dannenberg, Gavazzi, Engel and Serrure but rejected by the CNI authors. A fourth attribution was then proposed by Frederick Alvin, returning the coin to the house of Hainaut, not to the county but to Florent de Hainaut, Prince of Achaia (1289-1297). His opinion was followed by Gamberini di Scarfea in his catalog of imitations. Finally, Philipp Grierson, an unrecognized florin of Charles the Bad, in RN (1962), p. 187-192, attributed the coin to Charles the Bad, Count of Evreux and King of Navarre, reading simply the legend FLOrenus R-EX CHArolus ("King Charles's Guilder"). Charles the Bad is indeed well known for its many imitations of poor quality, including using its royal title to copy the monetary types of the King of France.
This gold florin has been subject of many attributions. The legend FLOR-EX CHA is clearly arranged to imitate the FLOR-ENTIA prototype. Renier Chalon proposed to read it FLORenus EX Committee Hanonia, for William II, Count of Hainaut (1337-1345). This proposition was rejected by Camille Picqué, because "the physiognomy of money is neither Flemish, nor Brabant, nor Hennuyère". Chalon also proposed an attribution to the bishopric of Cambrai, the legend having to read FLORenus EX CHAmeraco. But the aspect of money is very different from the florins of Cambrai. Charles Robert refused to include it in his monograph on the numismatics of Cambrai. A new reading was then advanced by Morel-Fatio, who had noticed that several copies came from northern Italy: FLORenus EX CHAreto (or CHArretis), for the Marquisate of Carretto in Piedmont. In this case it would be one of the many imitations produced in Cortemiglia's studio. This study was accepted by Dannenberg, Gavazzi, Engel and Serrure but rejected by the CNI authors. A fourth attribution was then proposed by Frederick Alvin, returning the coin to the house of Hainaut, not to the county but to Florent de Hainaut, Prince of Achaia (1289-1297). His opinion was followed by Gamberini di Scarfea in his catalog of imitations. Finally, Philipp Grierson, an unrecognized florin of Charles the Bad, in RN (1962), p. 187-192, attributed the coin to Charles the Bad, Count of Evreux and King of Navarre, reading simply the legend FLOrenus R-EX CHArolus ("King Charles's Guilder"). Charles the Bad is indeed well known for its many imitations of poor quality, including using its royal title to copy the monetary types of the King of France.