Louis XIII (1601–1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643. He inherited the throne at the age of nine following the assassination of his father, Henry IV.
Due to his young age, his mother, Marie de’ Medici, assumed the role of regent and effectively governed the kingdom during the first years of his reign.
Louis XIII’s minority was characterized by political instability, as powerful nobles and competing factions struggled for influence at court. As he reached adulthood, however, Louis gradually asserted his authority and pursued policies aimed at strengthening royal power and consolidating the French monarchy.
A major milestone in the monetary history of his reign came in 1640 with the introduction of the gold Louis d’or. The coin quickly became one of the most famous gold denominations in European numismatic history and gave its name to a long succession of French gold coins issued in later reigns.
Coins struck during the reign of Louis XIII commonly display either a royal portrait or a crowned royal coat of arms, accompanied by Latin inscriptions expressing the king’s sovereignty, authority, and divine right to rule. Early coinage was generally produced using traditional hammer-striking techniques, while later monetary reforms sought to improve the consistency and quality of French coin production.
Silver denominations, particularly the écu, played an important role in everyday commerce, while gold coins fulfilled both economic and political functions. Their high intrinsic value and carefully designed imagery helped project the wealth, authority, and stability of the French Crown.
The coinage of Louis XIII frequently incorporates prominent symbols of French monarchy, including fleurs-de-lis, crowns, and royal coats of arms. These motifs were more than decorative elements: they served as visual expressions of sovereignty and dynastic legitimacy.
Today, coins from the reign of Louis XIII remain highly prized by collectors and historians. Whether struck in gold or silver, they provide valuable evidence of the political, economic, and artistic developments of seventeenth-century France and stand as enduring reminders of a reign that contributed to the growing power of the French monarchy.
France, 40 Livres (4 Louis d’or), 1640 Louis XIII, XF (details)
261,335.00 US$
Weight: 27.00 g
Fineness: 917 ‰ ( 24.76 g fine)
Diameter: 35.00 mm
Mintage: 7
Mint mark: Paris
PCGS certificate number: 45101269
Obv: Laureate head of Louis XIII right, date below.
Rev: Eight L’s back-to-back forming cross with crown at end of each arm, mint mark at center.
Graded PCGS Genuine Mount removed-XF Detail, Exceptionally rare pleasure coin, corresponding to a multiple of 4 of the louis d’or, In the context of the competition between the master of the Paris mint, Louis de la Croix, defender of the hammer strike and Jean Warin, supporter and promoter of the mechanical manufacturing, the latter struck a series of essays not intended for circulation, but to prove the technical superiority of his process.
Of these tests of heavy weight, adopting forms of multiples of the louis d’or, repurchased by the king with the engraver and used at the court like pleasure coins, the 4 gold louis of 40 livres, is known to date only with 7 specimens.
If we except the 6 louis d’or of 60 livres, mentioned in a sale in 1869 but not found since, it is the rarest of the multiples of the iconic series of the biggest gold modules of all the French royal numismatic history, On our specimen, there is a trace of a mount at 12h, so the coin has been strongly cleaned, Finally, we note a scratch in the field, underlining the word REX in the obverse legend.
This coin has a reeded edge, Pedigree: abbé Thilliez collection,, LVD·XIII·D·G·FR·ET·NAV·REX / ·1640·, ·CHRS· ·REGN· ·VINC· ·IMP·
60 Sols 1643 Louis XIII 1610-1643 SECOND-YEAR Écu EF / BU
14,170.00 US$
Warin’s second punch, 1643, A (Paris Mint), rose mintmark,
Weight 27.36g
Superb condition (near Mint State), bold strike, one of the finest known specimens / Catalogue No.: G52
FRANCE ½ Franc Pattern 1618 A Louis XIII – PIEDFORT of quadruple thickness by Nicholas Briot GVF
9,875.00 US$
Catalog: Ciani 1632; Droulers P 04b; KM#P25
Material: Silver
Weight: 28.13 g – Diameter: 29.70 mm
FRANCE – House of Bourbon
Mint master: Nicholas Briot
Obv.: Armoured and laureate young bust of Louis XIII facing right, wearing a ruffled collar; date below shoulder; legend around.
O/legend: ?·LVDOVICVS·XIII·D·G·FRAN·ET·NAVARÆ·REX·
Rev.: Floriate and fleur-de-lis cross, with the letter “L” in centre surrounded by twelve points; legend around; mint mark below.
R/legend: SIT·NOMEN·DOMINI·BENEDICTVM·
Edge: raised lettering:·?·IVSTISSIMI··REGIS··PERENNITATI·
Technique: This half-franc pattern was made on a screw press or “balancier” with edge lettering from three collar segments.
Condition remark: Slightly iridescent patina with golden hues; great eye appeal.
Provenance: ex Jean-Luc Van der Schueren (Brussels, BE)
Rarity index: R2
Écu d’or Coin France – Louis XIII – Gold – Type 1 – 1636 L Bayonne EF
7,550.00 US$
Material: Gold
Weight: 3.35 g – Diameter: 26.00 mm
Period: Royal
Workshop / City: Bayonne
Rarity: Extremely rare
Low mintage : 1800 gold ecu struck in 1636 for Mint Bayonne.
Legend : VINCIT.E.IMPERAT
Absence of the T due to a shortage of space.
Scarce example.
References : Dy.1282A – G.55 – Fr.398
Coin with bright original luster. Nice struck.
France 20 Sols 1641 Louis XIII, Klippe, Siege Coinage XF45
6,840.00 US$
Material: Silver
Weight: 9.76 g – Diameter: 28.00 mm
Mint mark: Aire-sur-la-Lys
Legend on 6 lines, the date below., Smooth flan. Extremely rare.
Coin struck during the siege of the city of Aire-sur-la-Lys, in the Artois region, in 1641 during the Franco-Spanish War. Taken at the end of July, on the 27th, by French troops, they were driven out by Spanish troops at the end of the same year. This coin, known as an ‘obsidionale’ (referring to its use in a besieged city), was minted in the name of Louis XIII during this short period when France controlled the city under the command of Marshal de La Meilleraye, until the beginning of December, surrendering on the 4th and leaving the city on the 7th. This 20 Sols module is undoubtedly the rarest denomination to date, with very few examples known to exist. This example has a beautiful grey patina. From the collection of Abbé Thilliez., LVD.XIII / REX PIVS / IVSTVS / INVICTVS / ARIAVNOA° / BIS OBSES. / 1641.
PCGS certificate number: 45101281
1642 Ecu 60 Sols 1er Poinçon – Louis XIII VF / EF
5,490.00 US$
Catalog: G.51
Weight: 27.20 g – Diameter: 40.00 mm
Obverse: Laureate and draped bust of Louis XIII facing right.
Reverse: Crowned coat of arms of France.
Coin notes: Shield with a beautiful patina on the reverse; struck on a broad, regular flan.
France – Louis XIII – Ecu d’Or 1632 Amiens – PCGS MS62 TOP POP
3,020.00 US$
PCGS Certification number: 44665476
Grade: MS62
Denomination: Écu d’or
Year: 1632
Name: 1632-X Écu d’or Gad-55
Country: France
Weight (g): 3.35
Major Variety: Gad-55
Catalog Number: PCGS 120114
PCGS Catalog Number: 120114
Retains a good portion of its original luster. Rare date. Superb to Mint State.
TOP POP: This is the only graded specimen.
About Us:
MA-Shops.com, The World’s Most Trusted Numismatic Marketplace, offers more than a million ancient, U.S. and ancient coins, along with medals, banknotes, militaria and antiquities. Our vibrant collection is offered by verified and Certified Dealers from around the world. Collectors can search, select and purchase conveniently and confidently knowing every item is authentic and guaranteed. Founded in 2005 by Joachim Schwiening, MA-Shops has offices in Germany and the US.
To become a dealer or for more information, contact us at MA-Shops.com
