Teston of Francis I

The Teston of Francis I featured one of the earliest realistic portraits on a French coin, capturing the king's profile with a level of detail that rivaled Italian medals of the era.

This silver piece, weighing around 9.5 grams, was struck during his reign to standardize currency amid France's expanding wars and trade. Designs varied by mint, with Paris and Lyon producing the bulk, though exact outputs remain murky due to incomplete records from that time. The obverse showed Francis in his distinctive armor, while the reverse often depicted a cross or shield, symbols of royal authority.

Experts note the coin's edge sometimes bore inscriptions warning against clipping, a common forgery tactic. As for myths, let's skip the tales of hidden treasures; most Testons I've handled were just battered from circulation.

We don't know the precise mintage for any given year, as archives suffered losses over centuries.