Philippe VI or V?

425, Lot: 684. Estimate $75. Sold for $70. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

FRANCE, Royal. Philippe VI de Valois (of Valois). 1328-1350. AR Denier (18mm, 0.87 g, 6h). Tours mint. + PhILIPPVS + REX, cross pattée / + TVRONVS CIVIS, châtel tournois; no ornaments, no globe below cross. Cf. Duplessy 278; Lafaurie –; Ciani –; Roberts 2422. VF, toned. Very rare variety.

From the BRN Collection, purchased from Andy Singer, August 2004.

Deniers Tournois of these types and legends are known for both Philippe IV and Philippe VI. Elements characterizing both of their types are present; the châtel has no disk at its summit, like Philippe IV's, but also has no ornaments, as Philippe VI's. The lack of ornaments is completely unknown before Philippe VI, so is more persuasive an indicator of whose reign this coin is from. Moreover, the appearance of a cross as a break in the obverse legend is only known on deniers of Philippe VI. Another possibility of this combination of Philippe IV and VI's varieties, is that this is an issue of Philippe V, for whom no deniers tournois are currently attributed. The style of the lettering is unusual for all these kings, though, as is the lack of any breaks in the reverse legend. Hopefully a future detailed study of this complex coinage during these reigns will clarify the attributions of this interesting period.