$3,910.00 USD
Struck during the reign of Charles VII, this 1422–1461 Écu d’or à la couronne, graded NGC MS62, reflects France’s slow resurgence during the waning decades of the Hundred Years’ War. Under Charles’s leadership—with the aid of figures like Joan of Arc—the French monarchy reclaimed territory and legitimacy, and coinage like this gold écu symbolized the restoration of royal authority.
Obverse: Features a crowned royal shield of France bearing three fleurs-de-lis, enclosed within a tressure of arches and surrounded by a Gothic legend naming Charles as king. The crown and fleurs-de-lis represent continuity of the Capetian dynasty and divine sanction.
Reverse: Displays a floriated cross fleury, with fleurs-de-lis in the angles, contained within a quadrilobe. This religious motif emphasized the sacred nature of kingship and royal alignment with Christian virtue during a period of internal and external strife.
Graded MS62, this hammered gold coin is sharply struck and notably well-preserved, with crisp detail in the heraldic devices and nearly full legends. The flan is broad and well-centered, with a radiant golden tone. As a top-condition example of Charles VII’s gold coinage, it stands out as a superb acquisition for collectors of medieval France, Hundred Years’ War-era artifacts, or royal restoration issues.
