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Gold Ecu with sun - Louis XII
| Issuer | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1498 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by the crowned arms of France — a quartered shield bearing three fleurs-de-lis — surmounted by a large royal crown with elaborate fleurons and jeweled band. A radiant sun, the emblem adopted by Louis XII, rises above the crown in the upper field. The entire device is encircled by a beaded inner border, with the Latin legend running continuously around the periphery between two linear borders, struck on an irregularly shaped hammered flan. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Louis XII came to the throne in April 1498 following the death of Charles VIII, who left no male heir. The écu au soleil had been introduced under Louis XI in 1475, and Louis XII continued the type without significant interruption — this early issue dates to the very first year of his reign. The .963 fineness held to the standard established under his predecessor, a deliberate signal of monetary continuity at a moment of dynastic transition.
Duplessy royales 647 is among the scarcer of Louis XII's gold issues, predating the Italian campaign reforms that would later complicate French mint output.