French what????

[Chef Geoff]

I thought this was a jeton when first found, but after a quick clean up it appears to have more of a 17th-18th cetury feel about it.
The one side with the shield and crown conforms to normal French coins but the other seems to have a small face (the sun) with rays radiating from it.
Any thoughts?

[The Doc]

Not sure if this is a coin or a jeton. I think late 16th century or early 17th.

The legend on the reverse appears to be FOVET ET DISCVTIT. I found the following:


Francois de France, Duke of  Anjou (1555-1584), fifth and youngest
son of Henry II. He was first styled Duke of Alengon, by which
name he is best known as the suitor of Queen Elizabeth. After her
rejection of him, the people of the Low Countries chose him their
protector against the tyranny of Spain, and declared him Duke of
Brabant. But the indiscretion and evil counsels of his advisers caused
the people to rise against him, and he was compelled to retire to
France, where he died soon afterwards.

When he went to the Low Countries, he took the device of the
rising sun dispersing the mists and clouds, with the motto,
Fovet et discutit, "It nourishes and dissipates", implying that he,
like the sun, would dispel the clouds of the political horizon, and prove
the light and protection of the Provinces.

[Chef Geoff]

Wow thank you Peter that adds a little more interest to it, and that earlier date would fit a little better with the thickness of the coin as it has the feel of a hammered, similar to the local English farthings of the same period.