Initial, Privy, or Mint/Mark

[Coinery]

Can anyone shed some light on which, and why?

I'm of course particularly interested in relation to its correct application to hammered and early milled!

Also, off topic, but I'm scanning an auction catalogue at the moment...does 'comes with pre-decimal sales ticket,' mean 'sold by Chris'?

[TomGoodheart]

I read that privy mark is the most correct. That's because only the Master of the mint and a few others were 'privy' to it's purpose and significance.

The term 'initial' mark is a misnomer as it doesn't always occur 'initially', ie: at the start of the legend and while other coins carry a 'mint' mark, most English hammered was produced in one place, the Tower mint, but the marks still varied.

However in terms of everyday usage, the phrase mint mark seems to have become the most popular, more so than privy-mark, at least that's what I tend to see in lists and dealer's descriptions.

As to the sales ticket, you'd have to compare with other entries to see if they have similar descriptions for other sellers such as Dawson, cooke, Vosper etc. However if it's a hammered coin the liklihood is it just dates the ticket to before 1971.

[scott]

depends doesn't it? i know french coins had both mint and privy marks and i tohugh some hammered pieces has 2 marks as well.

[davidrj]

depends doesn't it? i know french coins had both mint and privy marks and i tohugh some hammered pieces has 2 marks as well.

French coins can get quite interesting

Usually a Mint Mark - normally a letter, but a little cow for Pau. Further complicated by additional dots adjacent to the mint letters, indicating the so called "Provisional mints" in the Constitutional period (1791-3)

Coins prior to 1793 often have a raised dot (eg under the D of Ludovicus) to indicted the second simester (ie the second minting period of the year)

Then there are what the French refer to as "les differants" a symbol for the National Chief Engraver, plus another for the local mintmaster

Even more fun when you get to the Directoire (lan'5 - l'an8; 1796-1801) 5 centimes and decimes have not only overdates but overstrikes of the mint letters and/or the differents!

David

[Coinery]

depends doesn't it? i know french coins had both mint and privy marks and i tohugh some hammered pieces has 2 marks as well.

French coins can get quite interesting

Usually a Mint Mark - normally a letter, but a little cow for Pau. Further complicated by additional dots adjacent to the mint letters, indicating the so called "Provisional mints" in the Constitutional period (1791-3)

Coins prior to 1793 often have a raised dot (eg under the D of Ludovicus) to indicted the second simester (ie the second minting period of the year)

Then there are what the French refer to as "les differants" a symbol for the National Chief Engraver, plus another for the local mintmaster

Even more fun when you get to the Directoire (lan'5 - l'an8; 1796-1801) 5 centimes and decimes have not only overdates but overstrikes of the mint letters and/or the differents!

David

Crikes, really glad I asked! Thanks, both, between you guys and Richard it's getting clearer!

[Peter]

depends doesn't it? i know french coins had both mint and privy marks and i tohugh some hammered pieces has 2 marks as well.

French coins can get quite interesting

Usually a Mint Mark - normally a letter, but a little cow for Pau. Further complicated by additional dots adjacent to the mint letters, indicating the so called "Provisional mints" in the Constitutional period (1791-3)

Coins prior to 1793 often have a raised dot (eg under the D of Ludovicus) to indicted the second simester (ie the second minting period of the year)

Then there are what the French refer to as "les differants" a symbol for the National Chief Engraver, plus another for the local mintmaster

Even more fun when you get to the Directoire (lan'5 - l'an8; 1796-1801) 5 centimes and decimes have not only overdates but overstrikes of the mint letters and/or the differents!

David

I enjoy French coins approx 1750 to 1850.The big chunky 2 sols of 1791/2 and some great silver.Where does one start.

[scott]

1750-1850? but so much good stuff before and after that. especially the early 20th century stuff and the many 17th century jetons

I think I have one of those overdate centimes.

[Peter]

1750-1850? but so much good stuff before and after that. especially the early 20th century stuff and the many 17th century jetons

I think I have one of those overdate centimes.

Sod the jettons some nice ECU coins and 12 sol silver also a few bits of copper are keepers.