How to Identify the French Louis d'Or

What Is the Louis d'Or

The Louis d'or was a gold coin struck by the Kingdom of France from the reign of Louis XIII in the 1640s through Louis XVI, ending with the French Revolution's switch to decimal francs. It came in several denominations, including half and double louis pieces, and served as France's principal gold trade coin for well over a century, circulating alongside the smaller silver ecu and livre coinage used in everyday transactions.

Obverse Design and Inscriptions

The obverse shows a bare-headed or laureate profile portrait of the reigning king facing right, with a Latin legend naming him and his titles, such as "LUD XV D G FR ET NAV REX" (Louis XV, by the grace of God, King of France and Navarre).

Reverse Design and Inscriptions

Later 18th-century types (often called "Louis d'or au bandeau") display crossed L's arranged in a cross pattern with crowns and fleurs-de-lis filling the spaces between the arms, surrounded by the legend "CHRS REGN VINC IMPER" (Christ reigns, conquers, commands).

Size, Weight, and Metal

The coin was struck in high-purity gold, generally around .917 to .920 fine, with the standard Louis d'or of Louis XV and Louis XVI weighing close to 8.16 grams and measuring about 24mm across — a thinner, wider planchet than most modern gold coins.

Mint Marks and Where to Find Them

A single letter mint mark sits below the portrait or near the date, identifying the minting city — A for Paris, D for Lyon, and other letters for provincial French mints — often paired with a smaller symbol marking the mint master's tenure.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

Compare the crowned-L cruciform reverse to later French gold coins such as the Napoleon 20 Franc, which instead shows a laurel wreath and text reading "REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE" or "EMPIRE FRANCAIS." The Louis d'or's older lettering style and religious Latin motto are the clearest giveaways of its earlier origin.

Judging Condition at a Glance

Examine the king's hair curls and cheek, and the crowned L's, for flattening. Gold wears slowly, so centuries-old coins can still show good detail, though frequently circulated pieces show wear first on the highest points of the portrait. Because these coins are hand-struck on relatively thin planchets, slight doubling, off-center strikes, or planchet flaws are common and are not necessarily condition defects but rather characteristics of period minting technology.

Authenticity Red Flags

Later restrikes and reproductions often have incorrect weight, an off color compared to period gold alloys, or blurred lettering from worn transfer dies. Genuine pieces should have crisp, precisely engraved lettering and the correct heft and specific gravity expected of gold.