Blanc of Philip VI

The Blanc of Philip VI stands out for its unusually high silver content, around 95 percent, which helped it retain value amid the economic chaos of the Hundred Years' War's outset.

This coin, minted primarily in Paris between 1328 and 1350, bore a simple cross on one side and the royal arms on the other. Variations exist, with some showing the king's initial, but exact designs depended on the die used. We know it was produced in multiple denominations, though records are spotty.

Mintage figures are largely lost; historians blame 19th-century archives for that gap. If you're hunting one, expect wear from centuries of use.

Planchets were likely sourced from domestic mines, not imports, contrary to some tales.