French medals from Louis XV to Napoleon III
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1775. Coronation of Louis XVI at RheimsObv. Crowned bust of Louis XVI LUDOVICUS XVI REX CHRISTIANISSIMUS
Rev. King kneeling at altar, an angel anointing his head DEO CONSECRATORI, exergue UNCTIO REGIA REMIS XL JUN MDCCLXXV
Signed B DUVIVIER F
AR42.
Louis XVI succeeded his grandfather Louis XV to the throne of France in 1774 and his coronation ceremony took place in Rheims the following year.LordBest
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1778. Louis XVI Port Commemorative .Obv. Draped bust right LUD XVI REX CHRISTIANISS
Rev. Text PIETAS REGIA AEDE AD MARLIACI PORTUM STRUCTA MDCCLXXVIII
Commemorates the construction/expansion of a port.LordBest
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1781. Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette, Birth of the Dauphin.Obv. Conjoined busts of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette LUDOVICO XVI ET M ANT AUSTR FR ET NAV REGI ET REGINAE LUTETIA signed DUVIVIER.
Rev. King and Queen between a kneeling Paris, holding a shield, and Trade (Abundance), holding a cornucopia and Hermes’ staff. SOLEMNIA DELPHINI NATALITIA REGE ET REGINA URBEM INVISENTIBUS XXI. JANU. MDCCLXXXII signed DV.
Commemorates the birth of Louis-Joseph Xavier Francois, Dauphin of France from 1781 to his death in 1789.LordBest
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1781. Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette, Congratulations of the Merchants of Paris on the Birth of the Dauphin.Obv: Busts of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette vis a vis. LVD XVI FR ET NAV REX MAR ANT AVSTR REG
Rev: Six Corps of Merchants led by the Governor of Paris the Duke de Cosse ASSERENDI NOVA SPES COMERCII / REGI DE ORTU SS DELHINI SEX MERCATOR PARIS ORDINES GRATULANTOR AUSP DUCIS DE COSSE URBIS CUB DIE IV NOV MDCCLXXXI
AE60. Engraved by Duvivier.
This medal commemorates the birth of Louis-Joseph Xavier Francois, Dauphin of France from 1781 to his death in 1789. The reverse expresses the hopes of the merchants of Paris of continuing prosperity under a stable monarchy.LordBest
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1783. Louis XVI. Burgundy Canal Inauguration.Obv. Draped bust right LUDOVICO XVI FR ET NAVAR REGI OPTIMO COMITIA BURGUND
Rev. Female water nymph, holding caduceus, surrounded by three male water nymphs on rocks surrounded by various symbols of prosperity UTRIUSQUE MARIS JUNCTIO TRIPLEN FOSSIS ABARARI ADLISER SEQUAN RHENUM SIMUL APERTIS MDCLXXXIII
Commemorates the construction of a canal system in Burgundy.LordBest
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1789. Louis XVI Medal. French Revolution, Abolition of Privilege.Obv. Draped bust right LOUIS XVI RESTAURATEUR DE LA LIBERTE FRANCAIS
Rev. National Assembly scene amidst Neoclassical surrounds ABANDON DE TOUS LES PRIVILEGES A LA PATRIE on central ballot box ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE IV AOUT MDCLXXXIX
This medal commemorates the abolition of aristocratic privilege by the National Assembly of France. LordBest
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1789. Louis XVI Medal. French Revolution, The Arrival of the King in Paris.Obv. Draped bust right. LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCAIS VILLE DE PARIS
Rev. The King, Queen and Dauphin being welcomed by the personification of Paris, building and crowds in background JY FERAI DESORMAIS MA DEMESRE HABITUELLE ARIVEE DU ROI A PARIS LA 6 OCT 1789
Commemorates the arrival in Paris of the King.LordBest
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1789. Louis XVI Medal. French Revolution, The First Mayor of Paris.Obv. Draped bust right LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCAIS
Rev. Personification of Paris facing holding rudder and sceptre surmounted by liberty cap, leaning on colum decorated with fasces, ships prow to left, various emblems of trade and wealth on right ESTABLISSEMENT DE LA MAIRIE DE PARIS J SILVAIN BAILLY PREMIER MAIRE ELU L 15 JULLIET 1789
Commemorates the cration of Jean Silvain Bailly as the first mayor of Paris. Bailly was later guillotined during The Terror.LordBest
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1815. Louis XVIII. The Holy Alliance.Obv. Bust left LVDOVICVS XVIII FRANC ET NAV REX, ANDRIEU F on truncation.
Rev. REGNIS EVROPAE CONCORDIA STABILIENDIS, on shield at centre GALLIA AVSTRIA BORVSS (Prussia) ANGLIA RVSSIA, SACRO FOEDERE IVNCTAE, in exergue ACCESSIT GALLIA NOVEMB MDCCCXV, signed F GATTEAUX Allegorical figures of France and ? facing in each in front of shield and a group of standards bearing the arms of the Great Powers involved in the Napoleonic Wars (Britains, interestingly enough, is at the back, half covered) with a unicorn behind the right figure.
AE50.
This is a confusing medal. It depicts the nations of Austria, Great Britain, France, Prussia and Russia as part of the Holy Alliance. Yet many historical sources say Great Britain never joined due to distaste and constitutional incompatibility with the others reactionary policies. But other sources say Britain did join at the same time as France (November 20, 1815). Who is right? If Britain did not join why are they on the medal, but if they did why is there so much written to the contrary?LordBest
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1817. Louis XVIII. Dedication of the statue of Henri IV at Pont Neuf.Obv. Bust of Louis XVIII LVDOVICVS XVIII LAPIDEM AVSPICALEM POSVIT D XXVIII M OCT ANN MDCCCXVII REGNI XXIII, ANDRIEU F on truncation.
Rev. Statue of Henri IV at the Pont Neuf HENRICO MAGNO CIVIVM PIETAS RESTITVIT MDCCCXVII ANDRIEU FECIT.
AE50.
LordBest
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1822. Louis XVIII. Discovery and presentatoin of Venus de Milo.Obv. Head of Louis XVIII to right LVDOVICVS XVIII FRANC ET NAV REX
Rev. Venus de Milo standing in front of Egyptian antiquities COLLECTIS EX AEGYPTO GREACIAQ MONVMENTIS / SVMTV REGIO BONARVM ARTVIM VTILITATI MDCCCXXII
AE50.
This medal commemorates the discovery and presentation of the statue Venus de Milo.LordBest
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1855. Napoleon III, Exposition Universalle A.Obv. Head of Napoleon III NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR
Rev. French Imperial crest encircled by wreath naming the exposition in full, itself surrounded by the coats of arms of all the French regions (I believe) EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRIE BEAUX ARTS/ PARIS 1855. Chalon et Estienne engraved on open scroll in ex.
A medal struck in 1855 to commemorate the 'Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855', France's first world fair, following four years on from London's Great Exhibition.LordBest
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1855. Napoleon III. Exposition Universalle B.Obv. Conjoined heads of Napoleon III and Eugenie left, signed CAQUE F
Rev. Wreath, outside wreath MSON DE LA BELLE JARDINIERE QUAI AUX FLEURS PARIS P PARISSOT, within wreath EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE 1855 MEDAILLE D'HONNEUR MASSONNET EDITEUR
Gilt AE38.LordBest
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