Philippe IV (1285-1314) gold Denier d'Or a la masse (Masse d'Or) ND (from 1296) AU Details (Cleaned) NGC, Paris mint, Fr-254, Ciani-196, Lafaurie-212, Dup-208. 6.94gm. 1st Emission (from 10 January 1296). +PhILIPPVS: DЄI: GRA: FRANChORVM: REX (triple annulet stops), Philippe, crowned, seated facing on throne within tressure, lis in left hand, lis-tipped scepter in right / +XP'C: VINCIT: XP'C: RЄGNAT: XP'C: ImPЄRAT (triple annulet stops), cross fleurée within double quatrefoil, lis in angles, trefoils at apexes. Among the most coveted emissions in the (early) High Medieval French series, with all issues of Philippe IV coming strongly contested. Perfectly captured on a broad, full flan, one is immediately struck by the careful proportioning of each individual letter and element of the composition--certainly a trademark of the king's gold coinage, and an indication of the importance which he laid on the money of his realm, particularly when one compares this to the poor quality production standards on so many types of later monarchs. While once cleaned long ago resulting in an overall muting of the luster, this is far from the overtly distracting connotations that such a designation would usually call to mind, with hairlines generally few and far between.

HID09801242017

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