Double Louis d’or of Louis XIV of France (b.1638; r. 1643–1715)

In 1640, Louis XIII introduced into circulation a gold coin of uniform fineness (22 carats) known as the Louis d’or. Denominations were determined by the standardized weights of the circular gold blanks (planchets) from which the coins were struck. The most important coin in the series was the Double Louis d’or. At twice the weight of the Louis d’or, it was equivalent in value to the gold pistole, the Spanish coin recognized throughout Europe as the standard unit of currency in international trade. Louis XIII’s successors issued the royal coinage until the French Revolution brought the reign of Louis XVI to a close in 1792. For over one hundred fifty years, the Louis d’or remained a symbol of the stability and power of France under the Bourbon monarchs.