Lot 521
Belgium -- Flanders (Low Countries). Franc a Cheval (Cavalier d'Or), ND (Ghent, struck 1361-1364). Fr-156 (99); Gaill.-212; Delm.-458; Coll. Vernier 10-11. 3.51 grams. Louis de Maele, 1346-1384. Knight in full regalia, wielding sword, on galloping horse with heraldic mantle left. Reverse: Cross fleury within double quadrilobe frame. Essentially As Struck with a detailed strike, somewhat "shadowy" on the horseman, mainly from the style of engraving, the flan large and full without cracks, complete legends right to the outer top letters, all clearly readable, surfaces choice with only small abrasions in the soft gold. All in all, a particularly charming specimen. Rare. NGC graded AU-58.
In the Middle Ages the two main centers of economic activity were northern Italy and the Low Countries. While the Italians embraced the entire compass of trade, in the Low Countries, by contrast, the cities were industrial and manufacturing centers, and vast quantities of foreign coins poured into the area. In this situation, the money-changers were an essential and important component of the economy. With numerous national and imitative coins, not to mention periodically debased or inflationary coinages, banking became a complicated profession, and was so much on the collective conscious mind that the banker or money-changer became one of the most popular subjects in the repertoire of Flemish painters. This marvelous coin, much like the paintings of money-counters of this era, is a classic of this period of transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
Estimated Value $1,700 - 1,900.
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| Realized $2,013 |
