Charles IV, 1326

Duplessy 241 (2 specimens known); Friedberg 262, PCGS graded XF-45

Like his father Philip IV, Charles IV, the last Capetian king of France, was also considered to be le bel (Handsom”) by his contemporaries. He also faced many of the same enemies as had his father. He brought a Flemish peasants’ revolt (1323-1326) to a negotiated end and occupied most of the French territories previously held by the Edward II of England after Charles IV’s decisive victory in the War of Saint-Sardos (1324). The petit royal d’or of Charles IV conflates the types of his father’s mantelet d’or and chaise d’or by depicting the king standing as on the former, but with a Gothic architectural background reminiscent of the ornamented throne of the latter.

16 February 1326. KOL REX FRACOR, king standing facing within a Gothic daïs, holding scepter. Reverse: + XPC VICIT XPC REGnAT XPC IPRAT, cross feuillue and fleurdelisée within quadrilobe with crowns in the spandrels.

Ex MDC Monaco (1 December 2017), 371