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Teston - Francis I 6th type
| Issuer | France |
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| Year | 1540-1547 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Draped and crowned bust of Francis I facing right, wearing a fleur-de-lis crown, with long flowing hair visible beneath. The effigy is rendered in the Renaissance portrait style characteristic of the teston series. The bust is contained within a beaded inner circle, with the Latin legend running continuously around the outer field. The mint mark appears at the base of the bust. |
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| Obverse lettering | FRANCISCVS D GRA FRANCORVM REX D (Translation: Francis I, by the grace of god, king of the Franks.) |
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| Additional information |
The teston was France's answer to the large silver coinages sweeping through Renaissance Europe, introduced under Louis XII and refined repeatedly by Francis I across six distinct types. This sixth and final type was struck in the closing years of his reign — years consumed by the Italian Wars winding down, mounting debt, and a treasury strained by decades of dynastic ambition. Francis had debased and reformed the coinage multiple times, and this type reflects the mint administration's attempt at standardization before his death in 1547.
The Dy 901 reference places this among the rarer teston types, produced across multiple provincial mints whose output varied considerably.