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1547, Royal France, Francis I. Scarce Gold Ecu  "with Sun" Coin. Toulouse mint!

Mint Place: Toulouse Mint Period: 1515-1545 References: Friedberg 345, Duplessy 775. Rare! Condition: Weakly struck and lightly deformed, otherwise VF+  Denomination: Ecu d'or au soleil ("Gold Ecu with Sun") 5th type Diameter: 36mm Weight: 3.34gm Material: Gold!

Obverse: Sun above crowned shield with French royal arms (three fleur-de-lis symbols). Legend:  + FRANCISCVS: DEI. GRA. FRANCORVM. REX (privy mark: clover) Comment: Privy mark (°) below "C" letter at 2 o'clock!

Reverse: Ornate cross with fleur de lis terminals and rosette center. Two fleur-de-lis and two large letters F (for Francois) in fields. + XPS VINCIT. XPS: REGNAT. XPS: IMPERAT  (privy mark: clover) Comment Privy mark (o) below "I" letter at 2 o'clock!

Francis I (French: François Ier; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547), was king of France from 1515 until his death.

Francis I is considered to be France's first Renaissance monarch. His reign saw France make immense cultural advances. He was a c ontemporary of Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire, with whom he was allied in a Franco-Ottoman alliance, as well as of Henry VIII of England and of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, his great rivals.

Francis' legacy is generally considered a mixed one. He achieved great cultural feats, but they came at the expense of France's economic well-being.

The persecution of the Protestants was to lead France into decades of civil war, which did not end until 1598 with the Edict of Nantes.