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Gold Ecu with sun of Dauphine - Charles VIII 2nd type
| Issuer | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1490-1498 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Quartered shield of the Dauphiné arms, combining fleurs-de-lis and dolphins in alternating quarters, centrally placed in the field. The shield is characteristic of the Dauphiné regional attribution, distinguishing this emission from standard royal écus. A beaded inner circle frames the central device, with the circular legend in uncial Gothic lettering running along the outer border between two beaded or toothed rims. The hammered flan gives the coin an irregular, slightly wavy edge typical of late medieval French gold coinage. |
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| Reverse description | A floriated cross pattée composed entirely of fleurs-de-lis at each terminal, known as a cross fleurdelisée or lilied cross, occupying the full field and dividing it into four equal quarters. The design is boldly struck in high relief, with the central junction of the cross clearly defined. A beaded inner circle surrounds the cross, and the circular legend in uncial Gothic lettering is contained between two beaded rims along the outer border. The overall composition is elegant and characteristic of the high-quality gold coinage produced under Charles VIII for the Dauphiné mint at Grenoble. |
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| Additional information |
The écu au soleil was established by Louis XI in 1475 as France's primary gold coinage, deliberately replacing the écu de la couronne to distinguish Valois monetary ambition from earlier issues. Charles VIII's Dauphiné variant reflects the administrative absorption of that province into the French crown following its cession in 1457 — the solar mintmark carried specific jurisdictional meaning, not merely decorative function.
Charles VIII died in 1498 after striking his head on a door lintel at the Château d'Amboise, cutting this type's production abruptly short.