$5,773.00 USD
Issued during the dual monarchy of Henry VI as King of England and claimant to the French throne, this 1422–1453 Écu d’or à la couronne (FR-301), graded NGC MS61, was struck in France under English occupation during the Hundred Years’ War. These coins served as both propaganda and international trade currency during England’s extended control of French territories.
Obverse: Displays a crowned shield bearing the quartered arms of France and England within a gothic tressure. The Latin legend proclaims “HENRICVS DEI GRACIA FRANCORVM ET ANGLIE REX,” asserting Henry VI’s contested claim as King of both nations. The centering and completeness of the crown and arms are unusually sharp for a hammered coin of this vintage.
Reverse: Features a floriated long cross with alternating fleurs-de-lis and leopard heads in the angles, all enclosed by a quatrefoil. The inscription “XPC VINCIT XPC REGNAT XPC IMPERAT” invokes divine sanction for Henry’s rule and was common on high-value coinage of the era.
As a Mint State specimen, this NGC MS61 écu d’or is an exceptional survivor of late medieval French coinage. The strike is remarkably even for a hammered issue, with bold central details and intact peripheral legends. Condition rarities of this caliber are seldom encountered, making it a high-tier acquisition for collectors of medieval or Anglo-French numismatics.
