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Grand Blanc - Francis I 4th type
| Issuer | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1519-1540 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
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| Reverse description | A bold plain cross occupies the central field, its four arms extending to a raised inner circle forming a quatrefoil border. In the upper two and lower two angles of the cross, alternating crowned letter F's and fleurs-de-lis are placed symmetrically. The circumferential legend in uncial Latin characters runs between the inner and outer raised borders, separated by a dotted inner circle. The overall design follows the established iconographic conventions of the French royal douzain series. |
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| Reverse lettering | SIT nOmEn DnI BEnEDICTVm |
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| Additional information |
The Grand Blanc underwent several redesigns under Francis I as the crown struggled to maintain credibility in a billon coinage that the public persistently distrusted — hoarding silver and passing debased pieces whenever possible. The 4th type reflects one of the periodic adjustments to fineness and weight standards that characterized Francis's monetary ordinances of the 1520s and 1530s, themselves partly driven by the enormous financial strain of the Italian Wars and the ransom paid after his capture at Pavia in 1525.
The Ciani absence is notable for a type with two major gazetted references.