Henry II Douzain with crescents, error variety, 1552, Aix-en-Provence, very very rare R5

  

Piece from a set of 69 carefully selected douzains. To discover all the other pieces in the collection before they are dispersed, type "douzain" in our shop or search. Refer to the HD photos to appreciate the detailed condition. A unique R5 piece with a misstruck date, a rare and prestigious symbol of the royal coinage of Henry II.

Henry II - Misstruck Croissants Douzain - 1552 - Aix-en-Provence Mint - R5.

An exceptional and extremely rare example of French royal coinage: this Croissants Douzain struck under Henry II features a spectacular engraving error, with the digit 2 in the date engraved upside down. This type of mint error, extremely uncommon, turns this issue into a major variety, graded R5. The Croissants Douzains represent one of the emblematic coinages of the French Renaissance.

Its iconography combines the royal fleur-de-lis and the crescents, Henry II’s personal symbol, creating a heraldic design especially sought after by collectors.

On the obverse appears the crowned shield of France, flanked by two crowned crescents. On the reverse, a fleur-de-lis cross made of eight interlaced crescents, quartered by two Hs and two coronets, accompanied by the misstruck date 1552 with the 2 inverted — a crucial detail that makes this specimen so rare.

This misstruck variety is of extreme rarity (R5) and represents a major piece for a collection of French royal coins or for a specialist cabinet focused on varieties and minting errors.