Anglo-Gallic, Edward III Ecu d'Or a la Chaise, Bordeaux mint

Edward III, as King of France and England (1327-60), gold Ecu d'Or a la Chaise, issued from 1344, seated figure of King on Gothic throne facing holding sword, within tressure of seven and a half arcs with trefoils in spandrels, small trefoils on cusps, saltires across base of throne with pellet in annulet at each end, beaded circle and legends surrounding, double pellet stops with saltires at GRA, +EDVVARDVS: DEIx xGRAx xAGL': FRAnCIE: REX, rev. pellet at centre of quatrefoil, at centre of cross with pierced quatrefoil terminals, each terminal with three pellet stalked trefoils, within beaded and line quatrefoil tressure, with leaf trefoils on cusps, pellet centred trefoils in spandrels, beaded circle and legends surrounding, trefoil after first P in legend, +XP.:'C: VInCIT: XP'C: REGNAT: XP'C: IMPERAT, weight 4.40g (cf.Schneider III 2-4; Elias 33e; AGC 38A dies 2/a; S.8035). Once cleaned, now lightly toned, reverse a little off-centre with a hairline scratch, otherwise struck with a decent face, a bold very fine, the second die combination of the earliest Anglo Gallic gold coin and rare.

The Latin legends translate as on obverse "Edward, by the Grace of God, King of France and England" and on reverse "Christ reigns, Christ conquers, Christ commands".

In March 1344 King Edward III wrote a letter to the Seneschal and the Constable giving information about the first gold coinage in England and suggested that the production of gold coins for the Duchy might be advantageous. Gold Ecus d'Or were then produced up until about 1352 though the only surviving report of the coinage is one from the Constable Walter de Weston for period 31st March to 15th September of 1348.