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1748, Royal France, Louis XV. Silver Ecu (French Dollar) "Belt Buckle" Coin. R!

Mint year: 1748
Denomination: Ecu
References: KM-512.14.
Mint Place: Montpellier (N)
Condition: Converted into a belt-buckle by two welded elements in reverse, otherwise a nicely toned VF+
Diameter: 40.2mm
Weight: 31.92gm
Material: Silver

Obverse: Head of Louis XV left, privy mark below.
Legend: LUD . XV . D . G . FR . . ET . NAV . REX . (.+.)

Reverse: Crown above oval with three fleur de lis inside, flanked by olive branches.
Legend: SIT NOMEN . DOMINI (N BENEDICTUM (privy mark) 1748

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Louis XV (Versailles, 15 February 1710 – Versailles, 10 May 1774) ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death on 10 May 1774. Coming to the throne at the age of five, Louis reigned until 15 February 1723, the date of his thirteenth birthday, with the aid of the Régent, Philippe, duc d'Orléans, his great-uncle, thereafter taking formal personal control of government.

Unexpectedly surviving the death of most of the royal family, he enjoyed a favourable reputation at the beginning of his reign and earned the epithet "le Bien-Aimé" ("the Beloved"). However, in time, his lack of morals, general inability to effectively reform France and the Monarchy, and the perceived failings of his foreign policy lost him the affection of his people, and he ended his life amongst the most unpopular kings of France.

While historians have traditionally treated Louis XV harshly, more recent research has suggested that he was in fact very intelligent and dedicated to the task of ruling the largest state in Europe, bar Russia. His nagging indecision, fueled by his awareness of the complexity of problems ahead, as well as his profound timidity, hidden behind the mask of an imperious king, may account for the poor results achieved during his reign. In many ways, Louis XV prefigures the "bourgeois rulers" of the romantic 19th century. While dutifully playing the role of the mighty king carved out by his predecessor and great-grandfather, Louis XIV, Louis XV in fact cherished nothing more than his private life far away from the pomp and ceremony of Court. Having lost his mother while still little more than an infant, he longed for a reassuring and motherly presence, which he tried to find in the intimate company of women, something for which he was much criticized both during and after his life.