Anglo-Gallic, Edward III gold Ecu d'Or, earliest Anglo Gallic gold coin

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: DEI xGRAx AGL': 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 4.37g (cf.Schneider 1-4; Elias 33e; AGC 38A dies 1/a; S.8035). A nice full coin, the earliest die combination of the earliest Anglo Gallic gold coin, some light short scratches on obverse to right of King and a little weak on face, otherwise a bold very fine and the variety not in the Schneider Collection, very rare.

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.

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".