Henry IV Teston

The most intriguing aspect of Henry IV's teston is how it subtly incorporated the king's profile, a design choice that signaled a return to centralized authority after decades of religious turmoil in France.

This silver coin, typically weighing around 9.5 grams and struck in various mints like Paris or Bordeaux, bore the inscription "HENRICVS IIII D G FRAN ET NAV REX" on one side, affirming his rule over France and Navarre. The reverse often featured a cross with crowns, a nod to the royal heraldry of the time. While exact mintage figures are murky—many records perished in the French Revolution—surviving examples show variations in quality, likely due to wartime shortages of pure silver.

One oddity: some testons were reportedly overstruck on older coins, a thrifty practice that saved metal but baffled later collectors. As for myths, I've heard tales of these coins funding Henry IV's escapades, but that's probably just romantic nonsense.