Owner Comments:
Pictured above, is a 1713-AA French Colonies 15 Deniers (a/k/a Demi-Mousquetaire or Half Mousquetaire) coin, categorized as Vlack-14b and Breen 296, and graded MS 62 by PCGS. It was acquired from John Agre of Coin Rarities Online in March of 2026. The distinguishing feature of this rare variety is the rosette that appears after the date. The AA mint mark establishes that it was struck at the French Metz Mint. The piece displays excellent eye appeal for an issue most often seen in wretched condition with various surface issues.
Walter Breen recognized the scarcity of the rosette variety, then estimating that approximately 4 or 5 pieces existed. This specimen is actually a "top pop" - i.e. the highest graded of the 7 slabbed by NGC, and the 24 holdered by PCGS.
HISTORY - Between the years 1709 and 1713, French billon coins were produced in 2 denominations - the 30 Denier Mousquetaires, and the 15 Denier Demi-Mousquetaires.
By definition, debased billon coins contain a silver content of less than 50%, with the predominant metal component being copper. French billon coins generally averaged 20-25% silver. Their silvery-gray appearance was much preferred by colonists, who detested the use of filthy poorly made coppers.
The 30 Denier coins were specifically authorized by French royal decree to circulate in the Nouvelle France (New France) colonies of North America. They were all minted at the Lyon Mint during a 5 year period, and hence exhibit the "D" mint mark. The term Mousquetaire, which has evolved as a name for this series, was derived from the hollow Greek crosses, as seen on the sleeveless outer tunic garments worn by King Louis' French Royal Musketeers. These were produced in substantial numbers - by some estimates in excess of 122 million, and played a substantial role as a staple of small change in the colonial economies extending from present day maritime Canada, through the Mississippi Valley, and all the way to the Louisiana Territories. They are found in very limited numbers today however, largely as a result of their being melted down over the years to recover their modest silver content.
The 15 Denier Demi-Mousquetaires, clearly the more elusive denomination, were produced only at the Metz Mint between 1711-1713, and employed the AA mintmark. None of these coins were officially sanctioned for use in the French colonies, although referred to in a June 1743 ordinance devaluing them to 9 Deniers. Numerous ground finds reflect that many individuals carried them to North America.
There are various varieties of the 1713 AA Demi-Mousquetaires, predicated on distinctive "differents" (privy marks) following the date, which served to identify the mint director. In addition to the rosette, some display a pomegranate, or even a 1713/2 overdate with a rosette superimposed over a pomegranate. Other distinctive AA varieties from other years include: a 1712/11 overdate; a 1712 issue where XXX was erroneously substitued for XV; and another featuring a XV over XXX. Contemporary counterfeits exist.