Watch List notes:

FRANCE, Francis I (1494-1547), demi ecu d'or au soleil (golden half shield in the sun) 9th type, (1.72 g), Toulouse mint, issued from 1540-1547, obv. FRANCISVS DEI G FRANCORVM REX shell (minter symbol), around (S's reversed), crowned royal coat of arms below sun, M below shield, rev. +XPS VIHCIT XPS REGNAT XPS IMPERA around (S's reverses), fleur de lys cross with M below, (Lafaurrie 740, Duplessy 881, C.-, see Vinchon Auction, 11 Feb. 1963 [lot 55] for similar type he noted only 6 known). As struck, nearly extremely fine and very rare.

Ex Collection of Mgr. Franz Ernst von Salm- Reifferscheid (1698-1770), Bishop of Tournai (1731-1770); to the collection of the Abbot Georges Dufour, cure of the Parish of St.Piat in Tournai (died 1939) by descent; acquired by grandfather (died 1949) by succession then to the current collector's grandmother, Maria Coppenolle de Froyennes (died 1990).
Lot includes 3 page description of the coin and five (5) coloured photographs with enlargements x 2 of this coin and a copy of the Vinchon catalogue as an Auction Sale, 11 February 1963 illustrating another example of this coin, that notes six examples of the coin type known.