French Ecu
OriginFrance
First Minted1266
MaterialSilver/Gold
TypeCoin
About French Ecu
The main silver and gold coin of France from the 13th century to the Revolution. Louis IX introduced the gold ecu in 1266. The silver ecu of Louis XV is the most common French colonial coin found in North America. The ecu was roughly equivalent to the Spanish dollar. The French écu was replaced by the franc during the Revolution. The word means shield, referring to the coat of arms on the coin.
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