1/2 Gold Louis with four Ls - Louis XIV

The 1695 emission belongs to the "aux quatre L" type introduced as part of Louis XIV's monetary reform of that year, which reorganized the gold coinage and introduced new denominations to address chronic fiscal strain from the Nine Years' War. France was spending ruinously on multiple fronts, and the crown's repeated currency manipulations — crying coins up and down — had badly eroded public confidence in the monetary system.

Dy royales 1441 is specific to the 1695 type; collectors should note that the quatre L series spans several years with subtle die and mintmark distinctions that significantly affect rarity by mint.