Teston of Charles IX
France
1560–1574
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$21.85
Based on Silver spot price ($80.23/oz) · 90.0% purity · 9.41g
Updated 2:27 AM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | France |
| Years Minted | 1560–1574 |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | 9.41 g |
| Diameter | 29 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
Design
Obverse
Bust of King Charles IX facing right.
Reverse
Royal coat of arms with French heraldry.
History & Notable Facts
The Teston of Charles IX, struck in silver during the French Wars of Religion, often featured a portrait of the king that exaggerated his age, making a 10-year-old look like a seasoned monarch.
That was no accident; it reflected the era's propaganda needs. These coins, weighing around 9.6 grams when properly struck, circulated amid economic turmoil as the crown debased currency to fund armies. Paris and other mints produced them sporadically from 1560 onward, with designs varying by die.
We don't know the exact mintage figures—they vanished in archival fires long ago. What survives shows the obverse with Charles's bust, the reverse bearing a cross or shield, all hallmarks of 16th-century French coinage.
One oddity: the Teston's edge sometimes appears uneven, perhaps from hurried production in wartime. Or maybe the king just had a bad hair day.
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