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1/2 Franc - Louis XIII
| Issuer | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1627-1641 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Youthful laureate and draped bust of Louis XIII facing right, wearing a lace collar (rabat). The king is portrayed with juvenile features characteristic of the early coinage of his reign. The encircling Latin legend reads LVDOVIC. XIII. D: G. FRANC. ET. NAVA. REX, identifying him as King of France and Navarre by the grace of God, with the mint mark appearing at the end of the legend. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | 1627 M - - 1627 X - - 1628 M - - 1629 M - - 1630 M - - 1631 I - - 1631 M - - 1631 S - - 1632 C - - 1632 M - - 1632 S - - 1632 X - - 1633 M - - 1634 M - - 1634 S - - 1635 M - - 1636 C - (fr) Petit buste - 1636 M - - 1636 N - - 1637 M - - 1637 N - - 1638 M - - 1638 N - - 1639 M - - 1640 M - - 1641 M - - |
| Additional information |
Louis XIII's half-franc coinage belongs to a period when French royal finances were under extraordinary strain — Richelieu's wars, the Thirty Years' War interventions, and the costs of suppressing the Huguenots at La Rochelle all competed for treasury resources. The crown repeatedly debased and reformed its silver coinage through this decade, which is precisely why specimens within this type can vary noticeably in silver quality despite sharing the same nominal standard.
Droulers' reference 1322 encompasses multiple mint years and several provincial mints, each carrying its own mintmark. Provincial attributions — Bordeaux, Rennes, Rouen among them — can significantly affect collector value.