Henri III of France

395, Lot: 536. Estimate $200. Sold for $140. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

POLAND, Monarchy. Henryk Walezy (de Valois). 1573-1574. Silvered Æ Medal (29mm, 9.82 g, 12h). Election as King of Poland. Paris mint. By Olivier Aubin?. Struck 1573, though a later cast or electrotype copy (by Robert Ready?). HENRICVS D G POLONIÆ REX INVIC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, wearing ruff / + EXTERNO PORTAT SVA LVMINA MONDO, sun rising over sea with two fishing boats; village to left. Edge: stamped R R. Ewa Kociszewska, “The Sun King in the Realm of Eternal Winter: The Unknown Medal of Henri de Valois, King of Poland,” in French Studies Bulletin 113 (2009), p. 78-82 (for discussion of iconography); cf. iNumis (8 December 2014), lot 346 (for original strike). VF, toned, minor marks, break in silvering on edge. Rare.

From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection. Ex Almanzar’s (18 November 1980), lot 791.