PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Franc à Cheval, a coin created to free the king from English captivity  

John II the Good, born in 1319, acceded to the throne of France in 1350. His reign was marked by the Hundred Years' War, a prolonged conflict between France and England. In 1356, during the Battle of Poitiers, he was captured by English forces under the command of the Black Prince. This capture led to a major political and financial crisis, as France had to raise a considerable sum of money to obtain his release.

To finance his ransom, estimated at three million ecus, Jean Le Bon had this currency created by decree. This is how the Franc à Cheval came into being on 5 December 1360 in Compiègne. Much more than a simple monetary unit, this coin symbolised the king's restored sovereignty and freedom. After his death, Charles V, the son of Louis II, continued to mint this coin.  

 

Description and symbolism of the Franc à Cheval 

The Franc à Cheval was the first French royal coin to depict the sovereign as a knight in armour, ready for battle. This iconography reflects the chivalric ideal and the royal power of the time. At the Battle of Poitiers, John II the Good chose to confront the enemy exclusively with the aristocracy of his kingdom to restore the image of the nobility. His commitment right up to the last moment, even though it led to his capture, was seen as a heroic act by his subjects.

The Franc à Cheval was also the first French coin to bear the name ‘franc’, a term interpreted as a reference to the king's new-found freedom, although it is more likely to have come from the inscription ‘Francorum Rex’ (‘King of the Franks’) engraved on the coin. This coin, minted in 24-carat pure gold, weighed 3.88 grams and had a value of one pound tournois.

This coin was distinguished by the following elements: 

- REVERSE: Representation of John II the Good on horseback, galloping to the left and brandishing a sword. He is wearing a crowned helmet adorned with a fleur-de-lys and chain mail with the same motif. The horse's caparison is also decorated with fleurs-de-lys. The circular inscription in Latin, ‘IOHANNES DEI GRATIA - FRANCORV REX’, translates as ‘John, by the grace of God, King of the Franks’. 

- REVERSE: A leafy cross within a quatrefoil, surrounded by palmettes and four hollowed-out shamrocks. The inscription ‘XPC VINCIT - XPC REGNAT - XPC IMPERAT’ means ‘Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands’. 

 

Modern reissue: The Franc à Cheval from the ‘Les Ors de France 2025’ collection 

As part of its ‘Les Ors de France 2025’ collection, Monnaie de Paris is reissuing the Franc à Cheval, modernising its design. This re-issue, faithful to the original, is a unique opportunity to hold a historical witness to the medieval era. An exceptional collector's item, at the crossroads of history and monetary art. 

The quatrefoils, once present on the reverse of the historical coin, are here revisited in a modernised version alongside the sovereign. Combined with crosses featuring vegetal motifs, these ornaments recall the aesthetics of the emerging Gothic period. 

The reverse of this new collection highlights the three historical periods that inspired this trilogy. Set in a hexagon, these three graphic friezes reinterpret the French flag in its heraldic dimension. 

The reverse side is completed by the face value, the RF logo and the guarantee hallmarks.

OBVERSE :

The obverse of the coin ‘Le Franc à cheval’ from the Ors de France collection, considered to be the first franc, has the following elements: 

- King John II, also known as John the Good, charging into battle, the illustration of which is identical to the first ‘Franc à cheval’.

- 3 quatrefoils, symbols of Gothic art. The first version of the ‘Franc à cheval’ had a quatrefoil on its reverse.

- The official motto of France: ‘Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité’ and the year 2025. 

REVERSE :

The reverse of this collection highlights the three historical periods that inspired this trilogy. Inscribed in a hexagon, these three graphic friezes offer a heraldic interpretation of the French flag. There is also the initials RF (République Française), the face value (€1,000) and the guarantee hallmarks. 

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