Teston - Henry II

Henry II's testons of the 1550s were struck against the backdrop of the Italian Wars and chronic French fiscal pressure, but 1557 carries particular weight: it was the year of the catastrophic French defeat at Saint-Quentin, where Spanish and Savoyard forces routed the Constable Montmorency and briefly threatened Paris itself. Emergency military expenditure accelerated coin production across the royal mints, and quality control suffered accordingly.

The Gadoury R1 rarity designation on this specific variety is worth noting — not all 1557 testons are equal, and the 373B2 subtype is among the scarcer die marriages documented for this year.