Gold Ecu - Henry I of Albret ND

Reverse

Cross with crowned H's in angles.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
GRATIA DEI SVM ID QVOD SVM
H

Translation: Thanks God, I am what I am.

Comment

This coin was minted at the monetary workshop in Pau, below the castle, in a tower known as the Moulin. The workshop had been equipped with a hydraulic system under the reign of Henri d'Albret, Jeanne's father, enabling production to be carried out with great regularity thanks to the pendulum coinage.

This type is undoubtedly contemporary with the gold shield with crescents of King Henri II (see link below).

This is an automatic translation. The original text is:

Cette monnaie a été frappée à l'atelier monétaire installé à Pau, en contrebas du château, dans une tour dite du Moulin. L'atelier avait été équipé d'un système hydraulique sous le règne d'Henri d'Albret, père de Jeanne, permettant une production d'une belle régularité grâce à la frappe au balancier.

 

Ce type est sans doute contemporain de l'écu d'or aux croissants du roi Henri II (voir lien ci-dessous).

Interesting fact

One interesting fact about the Gold Ecu - Henry I of Albret ND (1552-1555) from Lordship of Béarn (French States) is that it was minted during a time of great turmoil in France. The coin was issued during the Wars of Religion, a series of conflicts between Catholics and Protestants that lasted from 1562 to 1598. Despite the religious tensions and political instability of the time, the Gold Ecu remained a popular and widely used coin throughout France and Europe. Its value was based on the gold content and the authority of the French crown, and it was used for large transactions and as a store of value.

• medieval
• early modern