Salut d'Or

The Salut d'Or featured the Virgin Mary and Child on its obverse, a design choice that underscored the intertwining of faith and monarchy during the Hundred Years' War.

This gold coin, struck under Charles VII, weighed around 3.5 grams and carried a value equivalent to a French livre tournois. Minted in cities like Paris and Rouen, it often included the king's arms on the reverse, with inscriptions affirming his rule. The metal came from various sources, including bullion from conquered territories.

Records of exact mintage figures are spotty; many documents burned in later conflicts. What we know is that production ramped up in the 1440s as the war demanded funds.

Collectors sometimes mistake it for earlier issues, but the Salut d'Or's finer details set it apart. Calling it a "symbol of victory" is a stretch—more like a necessary evil in a cash-strapped kingdom.