Philippe VI de Valois (1328-1350). Gold Pavillon d'or, undated. King holding sceptre, seated on throne under draped pavilion. Rev. Floriated cross in quadrilobe, crown in angles (Fr 266; Ciani 270). In NGC holder graded MS 62, sharply struck and lustrous example, Rare. Value $8,000 - UP
As part of his ongoing development of French gold coinage, in 1339 Philippe VI introduced the pavillon d'or ("gold pavilion") of 24 carats and 5.10 g. Like most of the king's other denominations, the obverse of the pavillon d'or depicts the enthroned figure of the king, but in this case, he is shown seated within an impressive pavilion decorated from top to bottom with fleurs-de-lis-the heraldic emblem of France. This additional feature provides the name of the denomination. The aesthetic quality of the obverse type had an impact on later depictions of Philippe VI. It provided the model for his full-length portrait in Jean du Tillet's Le Recueil des rois de France, an illuminated work on the history of the French monarchy dedicated to Charles IX of France in 1566.