Denier Tournois

The Denier Tournois derived its name from the city of Tours, where Louis IX first ordered its minting in 1266 to impose order on France's fragmented currency. That single reform cut through centuries of regional chaos, standardizing weights and values across the kingdom.

Struck from silver typically refined to about .958 fineness, these coins often bore a simple cross on the obverse and the royal monogram on the reverse. Variations appeared over time, with some issues featuring crude inscriptions that reflected the era's limited engraving skills. Mintage records for many years are lost, likely destroyed in later conflicts or administrative fires.

As for myths, I've heard plenty about these coins being "cursed" or tied to royal intrigues—nonsense, mostly. They were workaday money, used for everything from taxes to tavern tabs. If you squint, the design almost resembles a plus sign; handy for arithmetic, if you're into that sort of thing.