Please Note: This is an authentic medieval French coin, and you will receive the exact pendant in the photographs and description.
FOR PENDANT SIZE SEE COIN DETAILS BELOW
Knights on horseback… maidens in flowing robes… tapestries adorning the walls of fairy-tale castles – it’s easy to see why medieval Europe has captured our imagination from childhood. It is from this world – a world filled with daring feats of bravery, fascinating political intrigue, and stunning artistic developments – that our Coins of Medieval France collection come.
Once a group of medieval Frank states, at the time these coins were minted, France as we know it was being formed and solidified under a united kingdom, and the Gold Royal Ecu d’or and Silver Guenar were becoming the accepted standard in the united France. From the earliest days of a united France, to the birth of the Renaissance, these coins were minted at a place and time which would play a large part in creating the world we live in today.
The coins of late medieval France are a stunning combination of classical imagery and art combined with the intricate medieval letter-forms that are at once incredibly complex and easily read… once you train your eye to them!
The Frankish states, and united France, were Christian kingdoms. Like their neighbors, the French chose to celebrate and honor their faith on their coins – the designs and words on these coins were meant to serve as daily reminders of the source of true wealth.
Yes, that’s this coin’s actual name. It translates to: The Royal Gold Ecu of the Small Cross. Ecu is the denomination, like a dollar. Royal d’or signifies that this coin is an official gold coin of France.
The Ecu d'Or a la Croisette is an extremely rare issue of Francis I. And, if features a cross design like no other. The central cross is surrounded by a scalloped design with each curve terminating in a miniature leafy fleur di lis. How many fleur di lis? Twelve - some say this number was inspired by the 12 Apostles. The words around the cross are in Latin, and say: + XPS. VINCIT. XPS. REGNAT. XPS. IMP; Literally: Christ Overcomes, Christ Reigns, Christ Commands.
The Coat of Arms of France features the crowed fleur de lis. The legend on this side of the coin reads: FRANCISCVS DEI G FRANCOR REX - Francis, by the grace of God, King of the Franks.
April's Notes: Wow - this extremely rare Ecu is both virtually uncirculated and absolutely stunning with it's bold center strike and exquisite detail. This is a rare issue... in fact, this is the first one we've ever had the pleasure to curate.
Coins of this quality are extraordinarily difficult to acquire - they represent just a small fraction of top-grade Ecus. This is why we set gold coins of this quality in our exclusive, luxury-weight 18K Gold settings.
Every detail and the entire legend is easily seen and read. The shape is particularly pleasing... it just doesn't get better than this! A wonderful size and perfect for daily wear.
Each one of these precious survivors is a work of art in its own right. Long lost, each has been rediscovered and has emerged from our Conservation Lab where it has been stabilized and conserved for generations to cherish.
How Your Medieval French Coin Came to Be
To understand where these beautiful French coins came from, you have to go back a few hundred years… to someone you’ve heard of: Charlemagne (768-814)! Also called Charles the Great, and sometimes the “Father of Europe,” Charlemagne was King of the Franks, which region became known as the Carolingian Empire. In just a few short years, he united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire, and laid the foundations for modern France and Germany. It was Charlemagne, together with an English counterpart, who created the medieval hand-hammered silver penny. The standard coin of what we call the “Dark Ages” the silver penny became a widespread currency, but it was often “debased” (the practice of making the coins with less silver than usual) and of unreliable value. And then, as centuries passed, the world began to change – by the 1300s the Renaissance and the Age of Exploration were beginning to dawn, trade was expanding, and Europe needed larger coins of reliable purity. New sources of silver and gold were discovered, and the creation of hand-hammered currency blossomed into the large, exquisite coins of late medieval France you see pictured here.
with your treasure coin purchase. Choose your chain and enter Coupon Code: CHAIN at checkout. (Does not apply to discounted clearance chains.)
with your treasure coin purchase. Choose your chain and enter Coupon Code: CHAIN at checkout. (Does not apply to discounted clearance chains.)
Questions? Confused? Looking for a gift? We're experts at matching treasure to people. Give us a call at 503.436.1626, join us on Live Chat, or drop us an email at treasure@cannonbeachtreasure.com.
Questions? Confused? Looking for a gift? We're experts at matching treasure to people. Give us a call at 503.436.1626, join us on Live Chat, or drop us an email at treasure@cannonbeachtreasure.com.
