1670-A 5 Sols. Paris Mint. Martin 2-A, Lecompte-186, Hodder-3, W-11605. Rarity-4 (for the type). VF-35 (NGC). A desirable mid grade example of this historic French colonial issue. Lightly to moderately toned in pinkish-gray, the surfaces exhibit a soft satin texture that is remarkably free of detracting marks for the assigned grade. Central detail is a bit soft, especially on the obverse, but in general we note bold Choice VF definition. A few light adjustments in the middle of the reverse are noted, common on Gloriam Regni silver coins, and were applied shortly after striking to bring the weight into the range of tolerance for the specific type.<p>With most examples destroyed through melting, the silver Gloriam Regni coins are scarce to rare at all levels of preservation. Produced in limited numbers, the 15 sols is a legendary rarity with only 14 examples positively confirmed to exist as of our March 2015 offering of the Donald Groves Partrick-Henry P. Kendall Foundation specimen. With the copper double unique, the 5 sols is the only readily collectable Gloriam Regni issue as far as most collectors are concerned. In an absolute sense, however, the 5 sols is scarce with a Rarity-4 ranking for the type as a whole. Each of the 21 known die marriages merits at least a Rarity-7 rating per Sydney F. Martin in his highly detailed work <em>French Coinage Specifically for Colonial America</em> (2015).<p>
