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1/2 Henri d'or - Henry II
| Issuer | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1554 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Helmeted allegorical figure of Gaul (Gallia) seated left upon a trophy of arms and shields, holding a small Victory figure in her right hand who extends a crown toward her. The composition is rendered in the classical Renaissance manner, referencing ancient Roman coinage iconography. The surrounding Latin legend reads OPTIMO PRINCIPI · EB GALLIA, within a beaded inner border. |
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| Reverse lettering | OPTIMO PRINCIPI · EB GALLIA (Translation: The best prince.) |
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| Additional information |
Henry II introduced the Henri d'or in 1549 as part of a broader reorganization of French gold coinage, replacing the écu au soleil as the prestige gold issue. The half denomination followed shortly after. Production spanned multiple mints across France, and examples from provincial workshops can show subtle differences in execution that the Duplessy reference catalogues by mint letter.
Fr#374 places this squarely in Friedberg's French royal gold sequence, but Dy#980 is the more useful citation for attribution — Duplessy distinguishes emission variants that Friedberg collapses.