Franc à pied
Franc à pied is a gold coin . The first gold franc, Franc à cheval , was minted under the rule of the French King John II (1350–1364) . The success of this coin prompted his son and heir to the throne, Charles V (1364–1380), to have a gold coin minted, the franc à pied , in 1365 after his father died in London . Its weight is 3.7-3.8 g.
The obverse shows Karl standing in a field of lilies (hence also franc de lis d'or ) with a crown , sword and scepter under a Gothic canopy . The circular inscription reads: KAROLUS ° DI - ° GRACIA ° - FRAnCORV ° REX, d. H. "Charles, by God's grace, King of France".
The reverse shows a cross with three clover leaves spread out at each end in a four-pointed, lily - adorned quatrefoil . The center of the cross consists of another jagged quatrefoil with two opposite crowns and lilies at the corners. The circular inscription reads: + XP'C * VinCIT * XP'C * REGNAT * XP'C * IMPERAT, i.e. H. "Christ conquers, Christ rules, Christ commands".