1693 Bronze Medal Betts-76, Louis XIV Felicitas

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,440 AU58BN 11-21-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1693 bronze medal (Betts-76) is an original striking of another variant in the Louis XIV Felicitas series relating to French colonial achievements. While Betts-75 and its sub-variants (75B, 75G) represent one die combination, Betts-76 features a different design configuration while sharing the Felicitas theme. The distinction between Betts-75 and Betts-76 lies in specific design elements — different reverse compositions, legends, or portrait orientations that the Paris Mint engravers created for different distribution purposes. Louis XIV's Medaille Metallique — the comprehensive published catalog of his reign's medals — documented these variants as part of the systematic record of royal achievements, making the Betts catalog's numbering system a reflection of the Sun King's own organizational scheme.

Rarity Notes

Original 1693 bronze striking. Different design from Betts-75. Rare.

Cross References

Betts-76; Louis XIV Felicitas; French colonial medals 1693