Double Gold Henri - Henry II and successors 2nd type, 2nd bust

Henry II introduced this denomination in 1550 as part of a broader monetary reform intended to rationalize the French gold coinage after decades of competing issues. The "double" denomination — worth two écus d'or — was a deliberate move to produce a heavier, high-prestige coin suitable for large commercial transactions and diplomatic payments, particularly as French foreign policy under Henry was deeply entangled in the Italian Wars and the ongoing conflict with the Habsburgs.

The second bust variant reflects a mid-reign die revision, likely after 1555. Henry II died in July 1559 from a jousting wound sustained during celebrations of the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis, making the later dates in this type's range among the rarest.