Grand Blanc - Francis I

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.