livres to the mark of fine silver). At the same time (September) a new fabrication of species, according to the standard of 1718, was undertaken. Louis d'or, 25 to the mark, to issue at 54 livres; louis d'argent (or 1⁄3-écu), 30 to the mark, to issue at 3 livres. But from the 24th October a gradual diminution in this tariff was prescribed, and from the 1st of January 1721 these coins were to circulate respectively at 45 livres and 2 livres 10 sols. From the same date the louis d'or of 1709 was to circulate for 22 livres 10 sols., and the louis d'argent of 1709 for 5 livres 12 sols. 6 deniers.

On the 5th January 1721 the contract for coinage held by the Compagnie des Indes was annulled, and an intermediate attempt at reform was made in 1723, when the louis d'or was minted at 37 1⁄2 to the mark = 27 livres, and the louis d'argent at 10 3⁄8 to the mark = 6 livres 18 sols. The downward course of the specie set strongly in, and by 1726 they had fallen to 12 livres and 3 livres respectively. This facilitated the great reform and recoinage of 1726 (see text, p. [169]). This recoinage was carried out on the basis of the edict of 1709—

Louis d'or, 30 to the mark = 20 livres. Louis d'argent, 8 to the mark = 5 livres.

By the edict of May of the same year their equivalence was raised 20 per cent.—the louis d'or to 24 livres, the louis d'argent to 6 livres.

TABLE OF THE FRENCH GOLD COINS.

(Up to 1689, from Le Blanc; 1690 onwards, continued from various sources.)

Date.Price of Mark of Gold. Species. Standard. Tale per Mark. Value.
Liv.Sol.Den. Sol.Den.
1226 (S. Louis) ... AgnelFine gold59 1⁄6 12 6
1295 (Philippe le Bel) ... Gros royal ... ... 25 0
1305 44 0 0 Petit royalFine gold[G]70 13 9
1308,April 16 44 00 Chaise ... ... 25 0
1310,August 12 4910 0 Masse 22 carat34 1⁄2 30 0
1310,January 22 55 11 9 Agnelet Fine gold59 1⁄6 200
1312,August 24 55 10 4 ... ... ... 15 0
1314 (Louis Huttin), August 25 ... ... ... ... 20 0
1314,November 29 5510 0 ... ... ... ...
1315,May6 ... Agnelet Fine gold59 1⁄6 20 0
"January15 450 0 ... ... ... 15 0
1316 (Philippe le le Long), Easter 38 00 ... ... ... 126
December8 55 10 0 Agnelet Fine gold59 1⁄6 20 0
1321 (Charles le Bel),
February 20 58 0 0 Agnel[H] "59 1⁄6 200
1322,October15 536 9 ... ... ... 18 9
1325,February16 67 10 0 Royal double Fine gold 58 25 0
1329 (Philippe de Valois), Dec. 26 ... Parisis "33 2⁄5 37 6
... ... Royal double " 58 22 6
1330, April 8 (poste monnaie) 41 13 0 Parisis "33 2⁄5 25 0
... Royal double ... ... 15 0
... Agnel ... ... 147
1331,January 9 39 00 Royal ... ... 22 6
1332,April19 ... ... ... ... 15 0
(Tournois)
1336,February1 500 0 Écu Fine gold 54 20 0
1338,November14 58 0 0 Lion " 50 25 0
1339,May 25 61 10 0 ... ... ... ...
"June 14 66 0 0 Pavillon Fine gold 48 300
"August 10 690 0 ... ... ... ...
"June20 71 00 ... ... ... ...
"February 7 82 0 0 Couronne Fine gold 45 40 0
"February15 86 0 0 ... ... ... ...
1340,April16 960 0 Double Fine gold 36 60 0
... ... Simple " 72 30 0
"May27100 0 0 Doubles 23 carat 30 60 0
"October7108 0 0 ... ... ... ...
"January 31114140 ... ... ... ...
"February 71150 0 AngesFine gold33 2⁄5 75 0
... ... Demi anges ...67 1⁄3 ...
1341,August23130 0 0 AngesFine gold38 1⁄3 75 0
"January19136 0 0 ... ... ... ...
1342,June 28168 0 0 ... ... 42 85 0
"September 161710 0 ... ... ... ...
"April10117 00 ÉcuFine gold 54 ...
1343,September 22 ... ... ... ... 450
(Forte monnaie) 43 6 8 ... ... ... 168
1344,March27 44 3 9 ... ... ... ...
1346,July17 500 0 ChaisesFine gold 52 20 0
"February24 72 0 0 ... ... ... ...
"March4 ... ... ... ... 30 0
1347,April6 75 0 0 ... ... ... ...
"April14 44 34 ÉcuFine gold 54 16 8
"September 27 750 0 ChaisesFine gold 52 30 0
"January11 51 10 0 Écu23 carat 54 189
1348,August30 ... ...22 3⁄4 carat ... 20 0
"March12 51 15 3 ...22 carat ... 25 0
1349,May23 52 1 6 ...21 carat ... 25 0
"December 5 530 0 ... ... ... ...
1350, April 22 (forte monnaie) ... ... ... ... 20 0
1350, September 1 (John I.) 53 189 Écu21 carat 54 18 9
1351,June 20 54 17 6 ...20 1⁄2 carat ... ...
"July 23 ... ...20 carat ... ...
"August 18 96 0 0 ... ... ... ...
"August 20 ... Fleur de LysFine gold 50 400
"September 17 565 0 Écu20 carat 54 18 9
"September 24 58 2 6 ...18 carat ... ...
"November 20 60 0 0 ... ... ... ...
"February 3 (forte monnaie) ... ... ... ... 15 0
1352,April 21 60189 ... ... ... ...
"May 18 ... ... ... ... 20 0
"January 18 60 17 6 ... ... ... ...
"February 3 ... ... ... ... 376
1353,May 1 ... ... ... ... 40 0
" October 26 (forte monnaie) 62 16 4 ... ... ... 15 0
1354,November 24 60 0 0 MoutonsFine gold 52 25 0
1355,June 3 615 0 ... ... ... ...
"June 19 62 10 0 ... ... ... ...
" January 3 (forte monnaie) ... Moutons ... ... 25 0
1356,November 25 ... Moutons ... ... 30 0
"January 25 63 26 " ... ... 25 0
1357,June 15 ...Petits moutonsFine gold 104 12 6
1358,August 31 7815 0 Royal " 66 25 0
"April 20 80 12 6 " " 69 25 0
1359, March 31 (forte monnaie) ... " ... ... 40 0
1360, January 12 (forte monnaie) 60 0 0 FrancFine gold 63 20 0
1361,April 23 60 0 0 ... ... ... ...
1363,July 29 610 0 ... ... ... ...
1364 (Charles V.), May 3 62 00 ... ... ... ...
1364,August 5 ... RoyalFine gold 63 20 0
"September 10 ... Franc " 63 20 0
1365,May 5 62 10 0 Fleur de Lis " 64 20 0
1381, (Charles VI.), ... ... ...
April 25 6010 0 " " 64 20 0
1384,March 18 65 10 0 Écu à la couronne ... 60 220
1386,August 31 66 0 0 ... ... ... ...
1387,February 28 66 10 0 ... ...61 1⁄3 22 6
1391,April 8 67 00 ... ... ... ...
1392, " 1 67 10 0 ... ... ... ...
1394,September 5 68 5 0 ... ... 62 22 6
1405,August 8 6815 0 ... ... ... ...
1407, February 11 68 5 0 ... ... ... ...
1411, November 7 70 0 0 ... ... 64 22 6
" February 12 ... ...23 11⁄28 carat ... ...
"March 5 70150 ... ... ... ...
1414,September 6 720 0 ... ... ... ...
1417,May 17 92 0 0 Moutons23 carat 96 200
"October 21 96 0 0 ... ... ... ...
" " 28 ... ...22 carat 96 20 0
"December 9 92 0 0 Écu heaume " 48 40 0
1418,July 2 9400 ... ... ... ...
"March 7150 0 0 Écu à la couronne23 carat 64 50 0
1419,June 18144 00 Moutons ... 96 300
"October 24 ... Chaises or doublesFine gold 40 80 0
"February 2617113 4 Écu à la couronne ... 67 50 0
... ... Moutons ... ... 26 8
Par.
1420,October 27 ... Doubles22 1⁄4 carat 40 80 0
1421 (forte monnaie), April 26 720 0 Écu à la couronneFine gold 66 22 6
"November 8 76 5 0 Saluts " 63 250
1422 (Charles VII.), January 20 ... Écu à la couronne22 1⁄2 carat 64 25 0
1423,May 22 84 0 0 ...Fine gold 68 25 0
"January 28 ... Moutons22 carat 96 20 0
"February 8 ... Franc à chevalFine gold 80 20 0
"July 1 79 0 0... ...... ...
1424,August 23 ... Écu à la couronne23 carat 67 22 6
"September 2 8700... ... 70 25 0
"November 3 ... Moutons22 carat 96 150
1425,October 3 ... Écu à la couronne23 " 64 25 0
"January 12 87 10 0... ... 70 ...
1426,August 27105 0 0... ...... ...
"September 11108 0 0 ...22 carat 70 30 0
"October 12... ...... 72 ...
"January 9 900 0... ...... ...
"January 17... ...23 carat 67 22 6
"March 19... ...... ... 25 0
1427,May 27 72 0 0... ...... 20 0
"July 19... ...21 carat 72 25 0
"August 28 90 00 ...22 " 70 25 0
"October 15 ... Moutons20 " 96 150
"November 20 80 0 0 Écu à la couronne20 " 70 200
"February 21 92 10 0 ...21 "... 20 0
1428,July 31 97 10 0 ...20 "... 250
"October 26 ... Moutons19 " 96 15 0
"April 88 0 0 Écu à la couronne18 " 70 20 0
"March 21050 0... ...... ...
1429,June 17... ...16 carat... 250
"November 14 (forte monnaie) 77 100 RoyalFine gold 64 25 0
1429,December 7 ... Écu à la couronne22 carat67 1⁄2 226
1430,July 7 97 0 0 Chaises16 " 68 200
"November 9 ... Écu à la couronne22 " 64 22 6
1431,May 30 7710 0 RoyalFine gold 64 25 0
"September 271020 0... ... 70 30 0
"February 9... ...... 64 25 0
"March 24 88 11 10 Écu à la couronne20 carat67 1⁄2 22 6
1432,January 16 78 15 0... ...... ...
"December 31 ... RoyalFine gold 64 25 0
1435,October 14103100 Écu à la couronne " 70 30 0
"February 21 865 0... ...... 25 0
1437,September 1 87 10 0... ...... ...
"November 22 92 10 0 ...21 carat 70 250
1438,April 30 86 5 0 ...Fine gold 70 25 0
1443,November 19 873 6... ...... ...
1444,December 17 87 100 ...23 1⁄4 carat 70 250
1445,September 24 88 7 6... ...... ...
1446, June 1 88 2 6 Écu à la couronne23 3⁄4 carat70 1⁄2 250
" January 21 97 15 0 ...23 1⁄2 "... 27 6
1447,July 27 97 57 1⁄2 ...23 1⁄4 "... ...
" October 27 9715 0 ...23 1⁄2 "... ...
1450,June 15 990 0 ...23 1⁄8 "... ...
" February 3 99 50... ...... ...
1454,May 18 99 10 0... ...... ...
1456,June 26100 0 0... ... 71 ...
1472 (Louis XI.), March 12... ...... ... 284
1473, June 181030 0... ...... ...
"January 8110 0 0... ... 72 30 3
1475, November 2118 10 0 Écu au soleil23 1⁄8 carat 70 33 0
1487 (Charles VII.), July 30 ... Écu à la couronne... ... 35 0
... ... Écu au soleil... ... 36 3
1488,April 24130 3 4... ...... ...
1497 (Louis XII.), April 7130 3 4 Écu au soleil... ... 36 3
1507,November 24 ... Écu au porc épi... ... 36 3
1514 (Francis I.), January 1 ... Écu au soleil... ... 36 3
1516, November27... "... ... 400
... ... Écu à la couronne... ... 39 0
1517,May 25 ... Écu au soleil... ... 36 3
1519,June 1014700 ...22 7⁄8 carat71 1⁄2 40 0
"August 18......23 "71 1⁄6 40 0
1532,March 5 ... ...... ... 45 0
1539,February24 ... Écu à la salemand23 carat71 1⁄6 45 0
1540, May 18165 7 6 Écu à la croisette... ... 45 0
1549 (Henry II.), January 23172 0 0 Henris23 carat 67 50 0
1561, (Charles IX.), August 30185 0 0 Écu au soleil23 carat72 1⁄2 50 0
1569,November 23 ... ... ... ... 53 0
1570, August 30 ... ... ... ... 54 0
1572, July 1 ... ... ... ... 520
1573, June 92000 0 ... ... ... 54 0
1574 (Henry III.) September 22 ... ... ... ... 58 0
1575,June 17 ... ... ... ... 60 0
"May 31222 0 0... ... ... 60 0
"June 15222 00 Écu au soleil23 carat72 1⁄2 65 0
"November 20 ... ... ... ... 60 0
1602 (Henry IV.), September24010 0 ... ... ... 65 0
1615 (Louis XIII.), February 52786 6 ... ... ... 75 0
1630,February ... ...... ... 80 0
1631,August ... ...... ... 83 0
1633,July ... ...... ... 860
1636,March 5 ... ... ... ... 94 0
"May 8320 0 0... ... ... ...
"June 28 ... ... ... ... 104 0
"September 22384 0 0 ... ... ... ...
1640,April 3 ... Louis d'or22 carat36 1⁄4 200 0
1652 (Louis XIV.), April 4 ... ... ... ... 220 0
1655,December 23 ... Louis d'or23 1⁄4 carat60 1⁄2 140 0
1662,July 742310 11 ... ... ... ...
1679,April 10437 9 8 1⁄2 ... ... ... ...
1686, July 29437 7 5 Louis d'or ... ... 230 0
1687,October 27447 7 2 ... ... ... 225 0
(Pite)
1689,December 10 ... ... ... ... 232 0
... Écu d'or ... ... 120 0
1693514 1⁄11 00 Louis d'or ... ... 260 0
1703584 1⁄40 0 " ... ... 300 0
1708... "... ... 255 0
1709,April576 0 0 "22 carat 32 330 0
"May654 6⁄11 00 "... 30 400 0
1713,September 30... "... ... 280 0
"December... "... ... 400 0
1716,November... ...22 carat 22 ...
1718,May ... Louis d'or " 25 ...
1719,July 25927 3⁄11 0 0 "... ... 680 0
...100815 0Quinzains d'or... ... 300 0
1720, March 5 ... Louis d'or (of 1709)... ... 8000
" March 111963 7⁄1100 Louis d'or... ...1200 0
" September1472 8⁄11 0 0 "... ... 900 0
... ... "... 251000 0
1721,January 1... "... ... 9000
1723 ... " ...37 1⁄2 540 0
1726 ... " ... 240 0
" (Recoinage) 678 150 "22 carat 30 400 0
" May 740 91 "Raised 20 per cent... 480 0
... ... Écu ...... 120 0
1785,October 30 (recoinage) 828 12 0 Louis d'or22 carat 32 480 0
1803, March 283444 4⁄9 francs per kilog. fine = 3100 fcs. per kilog. 9⁄10 fine. 40 and 20-franc piecesIssue price being 3434 4⁄9 per kilog. and 3091 per kilog. 9⁄10 fine. ... ...
1830 November 8 ... 100 and 10-franc pieces ... ... ...
1850 ...10-franc piece ... ... ...
1835, February 25Mint change = 6 francs per kilog. ... ... ... ...
" June 30Issue price of kilog. of fine gold altered from 3434 4⁄9 fcs. to 3437 7⁄9 fcs. ... ... ... ...

[G] See De Saulcy, Documents, i. 73, where it is stated that the fineness of these pieces was occasionally below 20 carats.

[H] 1 Edward III. 4496 florins of the lamb worth 3s. 10 1⁄2d. a piece = £871, 2s. sterling (Exchequer Q.R. Ancient Miscellanea, 624⁄3. Expenses of Adam, bishop of Worcester, going to Rome).