Gros à la couronne

Philippe VI introduced this denomination in 1337, the same year Edward III of England formally claimed the French throne — an act that ignited the Hundred Years' War. The timing was not coincidental; war demanded reliable silver coinage to pay troops and suppliers, and the gros filled that role as older issues were increasingly debased or hoarded.

The .639 fineness reflects a deliberate reduction from earlier French gros standards, a fiscal compromise that allowed the crown to stretch its silver reserves during the opening phase of the conflict. Duplessy 262 is the standard reference.