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Denier with quartered shield - John III
| Issuer | Brittany, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1312-1341 |
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| Composition | Billon |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ✠ IOHANNES DUX (Translation: John, duke...) |
| Reverse description | A bold plain cross pattée dominates the central field, extending to an inner beaded circle and dividing the reverse into four quarters. In the second quarter, an ermine spot (moucheture) issues from the centre of the cross, and the letter N appears in the fourth quarter (or third quarter on the variant Jez 87b), serving as mint or workshop differentiating marks. The surrounding Latin legend BRITANNIE occupies the outer margin between the inner and outer beaded borders, introduced by a cross pattée. |
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| Additional information |
John III ruled Brittany for nearly four decades without producing a male heir, a dynastic failure that directly triggered the War of Breton Succession upon his death in 1341 — one of the most destructive conflicts of fourteenth-century France. His coinage therefore spans the entire lead-up to that catastrophe. The quartered shield design reflects his claim through both the Dreux line and the broader assertion of ducal independence from the French crown, a political posture John maintained carefully throughout his reign despite owing nominal homage to Philip VI.
Billon quality for Breton deniers of this period varies considerably across the issue's three-decade span, as ducal mints adjusted alloy composition in response to broader French monetary manipulations.