Medieval? French? bronze coin [solved]

Hi. I acquired this coin for fun. It is approximately 16mm in diameter. Obverse reads E I or possibly H. Reverse shows a cross with what appears to be fleurs de lis on the tips. Any ideas?

Hello,

Not bronze, but rather billon (low purity silver); a liard of Henri IV of France:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces135641.html

Not an area I know any particular details about, but it looks an awful lot like this:

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces135641.html

Are you certain it's bronze?

EDIT: What Cass said.

Very common for Billon coins to look like Copper or Bronze, nothing unusual.
Silver content is often so low that it can easily remove from outer layer

That's it. Thank you. Interesting about the metallurgy.

Nice coin!!!

I was wondering. Could this coin be rather this one.

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces43704.html

Some research found the following references:
https://www.cgbfr.com/henri-iv-le-grand-liard-a-lh-couronnee-3e-type-1594-aix-en-provence-tb-tb,v12_0720,a.html

and

https://www.cgb.fr/henri-iii-liard-a-lh-couronnee-1579-aix-en-provence-tb-,bry_202072,a.html

If this reference is correct, then this is rather the Henri III coin, rather than Henri IV.

Hello,

I think possibly, because of the lack of a circle on the reverse on the link I gave; but the legends on your coin are too worn to confirm, at least for me. On a side note your coin looks like it was maybe clipped? That happened regularly before the introduction of edge milling/reeding, although usually to higher purity silver coins and would explain the diameter difference.

If you like I can post this to the French side, where there are some experts at IDing French royal coinage?

Quote: "CassTaylor"​
​If you like I can post this to the French side, where there are some experts at IDing French royal coinage?

That's a great idea. It would be most interesting to hear. I took the best photos I could. I could potentially zoom in a little more, but I'm not sure much more will become evident.

Hello,
This coin isn't worn : it was minted like that (weak strike / lack of metal around).
It's an italian imitation made by the Mazzetti family, lords of Frinco. It should contain less silver than the other french liards.

Same lettering than this one but different type of H (the model of this coin has been linked by Cass and seltsamesammler) : https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces150432.html

And voilà! The French forum has come to you!

I should have thought of the contemporary Italian counterfeits; I learned about them over there.