I have a very old (1557) coin. I don't know the value or how much it is worth. I also don't know where it's from. All I know is that the writing is in Latin and it translates to 'Franks of the King Henricus II'. I'd really like to know how much it is worth, so, please help! Thanks a lot, Coin Lady. (PS, I've enclosed a picture of each side of the coin) (PPS, please excuse the time stamp. I'm too lazy to set it to the right date.)
It's a French Teston of Henry II struck at Toulouse. http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=92038&AucID=76&Lot=1336
Thank you for sharing your coin, very fascinating. And it appears to be the real McCoy. The coin has quite a history, Henri II was the father-in-law of Mary Queen of Scotland, she was married to his son. Henri II's death in 1559 brought Mary's husband, Francis II to the dual throne of France and of Scotland, but this was shortlived as he took ill the following year and died just prior to his 17th birthday, leaving Mary a widow for the first time. Henri II would definitively change the course of especially Scottish history by taking Mary under the wings of the French royal family, marrying her to his son and the subsequent intrigues that would resonate for years after he had died.
