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Photo, Print, Drawing Royal Coin, Louis XIII. Ten Louis d'Or. Monnaie royale, Louis XIII. Dix louis d'or

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About this Item

Title

  • Royal Coin, Louis XIII. Ten Louis d'Or.

Other Title

  • Monnaie royale, Louis XIII. Dix louis d'or

Summary

  • The mechanization of the minting of coins from precious metals in France made possible the creation, in 1640, of the louis d'or, named after King Louis XIII (1601--43; reigned, 1610--43), who first introduced the coins. This series of gold pieces was part of a reform that changed the minting method from hammered coinage to a more precisely milled and weighed coinage. These coins included three types: the louis, the double louis, and the quadruple louis. It has been customary since the 17th century (incorrectly) to call the quadruple louis the double louis, call the double louis the louis, and call the louis the demi-louis. Alongside these common pieces, three larger-unit coins were manufactured in limited amounts: 20 louis, 16 louis, and eight louis pieces (also incorrectly called ten, eight, and four louis coins). The 20 louis piece was worth 100 livres; it is still the largest and heaviest French gold coin ever minted. These pieces were specimens, made to be used as gifts and to demonstrate the abilities of the Paris mint, not put into circulation. They are the work of Jean Varin (1604--72) of Liège, who was at one time master, guard, engraver, and head of the French mint, which was established at the Louvre.

Names

  • Louis XIII, King of France, 1601-1643 Associated Name.
  • Varin, Jean, 1604-1672 Creator.

Created / Published

  • Paris : [publisher not identified], 1640.

Headings

  • -  France
  • -  1640
  • -  Coins
  • -  Coins, French
  • -  Kings and rulers
  • -  Louis XIII, King of France, 1601-1643
  • -  Portraits

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 1 coin: gold. 66.87 grams; 4.4 centimeters in diameter.
  • -  Original resource at: National Library of France.
  • -  Content in Latin.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021669234

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Louis Xiii, King Of France, Associated Name, and Jean Varin. Royal Coin, Louis XIII. Ten Louis d'Or. France, 1640. [Paris: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669234/.

APA citation style:

Louis Xiii, K. O. F. & Varin, J. (1640) Royal Coin, Louis XIII. Ten Louis d'Or. France, 1640. [Paris: Publisher Not Identified] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669234/.

MLA citation style:

Louis Xiii, King Of France, Associated Name, and Jean Varin. Royal Coin, Louis XIII. Ten Louis d'Or. [Paris: Publisher Not Identified] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021669234/>.