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Grand Blanc - Francis I
| Issuer | Royal French Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1515-1547 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Dy royales#835 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse displays a bold long cross extending to the inner circle, dividing the field into four quarters, each containing alternating crowned fleurs-de-lis and crowned dauphins (or royal crowns), consistent with the standard douzain type of Francis I. The cross and its quatrefoil arrangement are characteristic of French royal billon coinage of the period. A beaded inner border separates the central cross design from the surrounding Latin legend + SIT: NOMEN: DNI: BENEDICTVM:, translating as 'Blessed be the name of the Lord', a pious motto standard on French royal douzains. The hammered flan results in slight weakness and irregularity at the coin's periphery. The overall style is consistent with the Dy royales type 835 attribution. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Francis I inherited a monetary system already strained by decades of Valois warfare and issued the Grand Blanc as part of a broader attempt to stabilize billon coinage during his Italian campaigns. The .359 fineness placed it squarely in the middle of a crowded billon hierarchy, acceptable for everyday domestic exchange but too debased to circulate confidently abroad, where Italian merchants in particular demanded higher-silver struck money.
Dy royales 835 encompasses the full span of Francis's reign — over three decades — meaning dies, mint marks, and fabric can vary considerably across the type. Collectors working this series closely tend to focus on specific mint attributions rather than treating it as a single issue.