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1/4 Ecu - Henri IV
| Issuer | Kingdom of France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1601-1605 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central design consists of a floriated cross with quadrilobe centre ornament, the four arms terminating in lily-shaped fleurs-de-lis finials, all within an inner beaded circle. The circumferential Latin legend SIT.NOMEN.DOMINI.BENEDICT — 'Blessed be the name of the Lord' — surrounds the cross, with the date 1603 and the Grenoble mint mark Z appearing in the lower portion of the legend. The overall composition is characteristic of the late Renaissance hammered coinage of the Valois-Bourbon monetary reform. |
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| Mint | Grenoble Mint (Z) |
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| Additional information |
Henri IV's quart d'écu coinage followed the monetary ordinance of 1602, which standardized the denomination's weight and fineness across French mints after years of regional inconsistency. At least a dozen provincial mints struck this type simultaneously, each adding a distinct mint mark — a deliberate policy of decentralization that reflected both the logistical realities of a pre-industrial kingdom and Henri's need to rebuild monetary trust after the Wars of Religion had gutted confidence in royal currency.
Duplessis 1236 encompasses multiple mint marks and emission years, so attributing a specific piece requires close examination of that single letter tucked into the field or exergue.