BrianRxm Old Coins 9/9
French Coins
Some coins from the French kings Louis XI and Francis I
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Some French coins from various kings.
 
French monetary units at the time:
 
The monetary units at the time were variable.
The "Livre Tournois" or "Tours Pound" was a unit of measurement and sometimes an actual coin.
The "Denier Tournois" or denier was sometimes a small coin and sometimes not minted.
The livre tournois was worth 240 deniers.
The double tournois was a copper coin worth two deniers.
The sol or gros was a silver coin worth 12 deniers and the blanc or douzain was a silver coin worth 10 deniers.
The livre tournois was worth 2 testons, 20 sols, 20 gros, 24 blancs, 24 douzains, and 240 deniers.
The gros was also knowm as a groschen or groat.
The gold "Ecu" or "Crown" was worth 1-2/3 livre tournois and weighed around 3.33 grams.
Louis XI:
 
France's King Louis XI was born in 1423. His reign lasted 20 years from 1461 to 1483. He became known as the "Spider King" or "The Prudent."
 
Using diplomacy, money, and some military force, he managed to close down most of the independent duchies and baronies in France and unite them with the kingdom.
 
Louis was king of France for about the same period that Edward IV was king of England. Louis made a treaty with Edward to end the Hundred Years War between England and France.
 
France Louis XI Medal
1. France Louis XI Medal - Kings of France
Copper-nickel, 34.0 mm, 21.10 gm
 
Obverse:
Louis XI right
LOUIS XI ROY DE FRANCE
 
Reverse:
55 / NE 1423 / SUCCEDE 1461
INSTITUTION DE L'ORDRE / DE SAINT MICHEL 1462 / MORT 1483 / TROISIEME RACE / P
(The Troisieme Race is the Third Race or the Capetian dynasty)
 
A medal like this one is listed in: "Spink & Son's Numismatic Circular, Catalogue of Coins and Medals for Sale", December 1895, under "List of French Medalets of Kings by Petit and Caque", Page 1492, item 29005, Louis XI.
 
France Louis XI Ecu d'Or
2. France Louis XI Ecu d'Or
Gold, 27.0 mm, 3.34 gm, Perpignan Mint
 
Obverse:
Shield with three fleur-de-lis on it and crown above
✠LVDOVICVS DEI GRA FRANCOR REX
 
Reverse:
Double quadrilobe, fleur-de-lis cross with four crowns
✠XPS VINCIT XPS REGNAT XPS IMPERAT (Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands)
Mintmark 'P' in center (Perpignan Mint)
 
France Louis XI Gros
3. France Louis XI Gros de Roi
Silver, 30.0 mm, 3.27 gm, Lyon Mint
 
Obverse:
Three fleur-de-lis
✠LVDOVICVS DEIGRA FRANCR REX [Clover](Mintmark: Lyon)
 
Reverse:
Fleur-de-lis cross
✠SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTVM [Clover](Mintmark: Lyon)
 
France Louis XI Blanc
4. France Louis XI Blanc a la Couronne
Silver, 26.0 mm, 2.54 gm, Lyon Mint
 
Obverse:
Double trilobe, shield with three fleur-de-lis on it and trilobe
✠LVDOVICVS FRANCORVM REX [Clover](Mintmark: Lyon)
 
Reverse:
Double quadrilobe, fleur-de-lis cross with two fleur-de-lis and two crowns at corners
✠SIT NOMEN DNI BENEDICTVM [Clover](Mintmark: Lyon)
Francis I (François I):
 
France's King Francis I was born in 1494. His reign lasted 32 years from 1515 to 1547.
 
He constantly battled the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V over territory, especially Italian provinces.
 
He promoted the French Renaissance by attracting many Italian artists to work for him, including Leonardo da Vinci. He sent ships to America and opened French colonies there.
 
Francis was the king of France for about the same period that Henry VIII was king of England. He and Henry made several alliances to oppose Charles V.
 
Francis also made an alliance with the Muslim Ottoman Empire sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to aid in his battles with Charles V.
 
France Francis I Medal
5. France Francis I Medal - Kings of France
Copper-nickel, 34.0 mm, 21.10 gm
 
Obverse:
Francis I right
FRANCOIS I ROY DE FRANCE
 
Reverse:
38 / NÉ 1494 / SUCCEDE 1515
RETABLISSEMENT DES SCIENCES ET DES BEAUX ARTS / MORT 1547 / TROISIEME RACE / P
(The Troisieme Race is the Third Race or the Capetian dynasty)
 
A medal like this one is listed in: "Spink & Son's Numismatic Circular, Catalogue of Coins and Medals for Sale", December 1895, under "List of French Medalets of Kings by Petit and Caque", Page 1492, item 29007, Francis I.
 
France Francis I Ecu d'Or
6. France Francis I Ecu d'Or
Gold, 26.0 mm, 3.45 gm, Lyon Mint
 
Obverse:
Shield with three fleur-de-lis on it and crown above
✠FRANCISCVS DEI GRA FRANCORVM REX
Dot under the 'D' of "DEI" (Mintmark: Lyon)
 
Reverse:
Cross with fleur-de-lis at ends, two letter 'F's and two lilies
✠XPS VINCIT XPS REGNAT XPS IMPERAT (Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands)
 
France Francis I Blanc
7. France Francis I Blanc a la Couronne
Silver, 25.0 mm, 2.31 gm, Bordeaux Mint
 
Obverse:
Double trilobe, shield with three fleur-de-lis and three crowns
✠FRANCISCVS FRANCORVM REX
 
Reverse:
Double quadrilobe, fleur-de-lis cross with two fleur-de-lis and two crowns
✠SIT NOMEN DNI BENEDICT[VM] K(Mintmark: Bordeaux)
 
France Francis I Blanc
8. France Francis I Blanc a la Couronne
Silver, 27.0 mm, 2.32 gm, Toulouse Mint
 
Obverse:
Double trilobe, shield with three fleur-de-lis and three crowns
✠FRANCISCVS FRANCORVM REX C:
 
Reverse:
Double quadrilobe, fleur-de-lis cross with two fleur-de-lis and two crowns
✠SIT NOMEN DNI BENEDICTVM C:
Dot under the 'O' of "NOMEN" (Mintmark: Toulouse)
 
France Francis I Grand Blanc
9. France Francis I Grand Blanc
Silver, 25.0 mm, 1.89 gm, Bordeaux Mint
 
Obverse:
Double trilobe, shield with three fleur-de-lis and three crowns
✠FRANCISCVS FRANCORVM REX [ship]K (Mintmark: Bordeaux)
 
Reverse:
Double quadrilobe, fleur-de-lis cross with two fleur-de-lis and two crowns
✠SIT NOMEN DNI BENEDICTVM
 
France Francis I Grand Blanc
10. France Francis I Grand Blanc
Silver, 25.0 mm, 1.89 gm, Marseille Mint
 
Obverse:
Double trilobe, shield with three fleur-de-lis and three crowns
FRANCISCVS FRANCORVM REX
Point at bottom of shield (Mintmark: Marseille)
 
Reverse:
Double quadrilobe, fleur-de-lis cross with two fleur-de-lis and two crowns
SIT NOMEN DNI BENEDICTVM
 
France Francis I Douzain
11. France Francis I Douzain
Silver, 27.0 mm, 2.39 gm, Lyon Mint
 
Obverse:
Double trilobe, shield with three fleur-de-lis and three crowns, 'D' at bottom
✠FRANCISCVS D. GRA FRANCOR REX F[Clover](Mintmark: Lyon)
 
Reverse:
Double quadrilobe, fleur-de-lis cross with two fleur-de-lis and two crowns
✠SIT NOMEN DNI BENEDICTVM F[Clover](Mintmark: Lyon)
 
France Francis I Teston
12. France Francis I Teston
Silver, 30.0 mm, 9.16 gm, Lyon Mint
 
Obverse:
Crowned bust right
✠ FRANCISCVS DEI GRA: FRANCORVM REX [Clover] (Mintmark: Lyon)
(The last word is supposed to be "REX" but looks like "RCONS")
 
Reverse:
Crowned Shield of France and two crowned 'F's
NO NOBIS DNE SED NOI TVO DA GLORIA [Clover](Mintmark: Lyon)
(Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give the glory)
Louis XIII:
 
France's King Louis XIII was born in 1601. His reign lasted 33 years from 1610 to 1643.
 
He was the king in Alexandre Dumas's 1844 novel The Three Musketeers.
 
France Louis XIII Double Tournois
13. France Louis XIII Double Tournois 1641
Copper, 20.0 mm, 2.06 gm
 
Obverse:
Louis XIII facing left
LVD.XIII.D.G.F.ET.NA.REX (Louis XIII Dei Gratia France and Navarre King)
 
Reverse:
Three fleur-de-lis
✠ DOVBLE TOVRNOIS 1641
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