Teston - Francis I 6th type

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.