Teston of Dauphine - Francis I 3rd type

The teston was France's answer to the large silver coins proliferating across Italy and the German states — Francis I had seen them circulating during his Italian campaigns and pushed for their adoption in France. This third type belongs to the Dauphiné mint, issued under the administrative authority of the province Francis had governed before his accession, and the brief 1527–1528 window coincides almost exactly with the aftermath of the Sack of Rome, when French monetary policy was under considerable strain from the costs of ongoing Habsburg conflict.

Dy royales 826A with Gadoury R1 designation signals genuine rarity within the teston series. Dauphiné output for this type was limited, and specimens showing honest circulation are scarcer than cabinet pieces.