Francis I's final teston type spans the last seven years of his reign, a period consumed by the Italian Wars and a perpetual shortage of war funds that forced repeated debasements across French silver coinage. The 13th type represents one of the more stable silver issues of his reign — the .898 fineness held despite pressure to reduce it further to finance campaigns against Charles V.
Francis died in March 1547, making pieces from the final months of this type's production among the last silver struck under his direct authority before Henry II's reform coinage began rationalizing the series.
Francis I's final teston type spans the last seven years of his reign, a period consumed by the Italian Wars and a perpetual shortage of war funds that forced repeated debasements across French silver coinage. The 13th type represents one of the more stable silver issues of his reign — the .898 fineness held despite pressure to reduce it further to finance campaigns against Charles V.
Francis died in March 1547, making pieces from the final months of this type's production among the last silver struck under his direct authority before Henry II's reform coinage began rationalizing the series.