Medal_athena, 1842, J.e.dubois, Paris-Mint_information Request & Discussion

Hello,

Here is one of my favorite medals that I have acquired two of; one Bronze. one Argent. The Argent (silver) one that I acquired, after aquiring the medal in Bronze, was mistakenly sold as a Bronze medal. Later weighing both medals I found their weights didn't agree! :)

Unfortunately a catalogue for the Paris Mint covering the medals made there is out of my affordability. So I am asking if anyone here owns, "Catalogue General Illustre des Editiones de la Monnaie de Paris.", or the "Paris Mint Catalogue", could you reference the Bronze and Argent medals? Or, if any one has come-across the silver medal on-line do you have a link or could you provide information you have found? I have found some information on the Bronze medal, but I can not find anything on the Argent one.

Here is what I think I know;

- The medal is called "ATHENA"

- The medal's obverse is struck in "High Relief". (I believe this is the correct terminology used in Numismatics). The helmet raises far above the rim which provides for a magnificent medalist's sculpture / presentation.

- Joesph Eugène DUBOIS, medalist who designed the engraving (1), obverse and the reverse. Struck / designed at the Paris Mint. J. E. Dubois is the patriarch of the famous medalist family Dubois.

Description:

Obverse: Bust of Athena in Corinthian helmet to R. The helmet has a leather web on the inside that can be seen below the helmet's edge. A Corinthian helmet is Greek.
Note: This obverse is often wrongly associated with Minerva. Minerva is Roman. Here is a nice link discussing some the differences between the two;

https://www.medalcollectors.org/doc...ay-FINAL.pdf


Reverse: Laurel Wreath tied with a ribbon. With no inscription in the field.

------

1. ARGENT, struck on plain edge rim - 1.308"/33.22mm Dia, 17.89g, 0.135"/ 3.43mm Thick Rim.

2. ReStrike, The first strike, 1820.

3. Paris Mint Mark, struck on plain edge rim - Believed (me) to be an Anchor and the letter "C", interlaced (C et ancre entrelaces) (?). Only the outline of the bottom of the die (anchor) was successfully incised. Used on all medals in all metals, Oct. 22, 1841 to Sept. 25, 1842.
Note: At this time it was difficult to stamp the rims of these medals and often times you are only left with an "outline". But these outlines can sometimes be distinctive/unique enough to attribute correctly.

4. Engraved by Joesph Eugène Dubois - (1795/1863), signed "DUBOIS" (1)

5. Other medals signed, E. Dubois (space) F, F is an abbreviation for France. Sometimes there is a super script "T" with the F which could refer to a Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) branch mint of; Nantes (T), 1797 - 1820; 1826 - 1835

6. E. Dubois went blind in 1846.

-------

1. BRONZE - 1.321"/ 33.55mm Dia, 15.3g, 0.105"/ 2.67mm Thick Rim

2. ReStrike, 1842. The first strike, 1820.

3. Paris Mint Mark - None, or could be the pointing hand outline (?). Used June 23, 1845 to Oct. 31, 1860.


Here are some photos of the Argent medal;












NOTE: An interesting difference between the two medals is that they have different rim thicknesses. Here is a photo of the plain edges of them;








GENERAL DISCUSSION AND QUESTONS;

I find it hard to envision how the hemet in this medal can raise above the rim on the obverse. It would seem to be reasonable to assume the planchets used for this raised feature could not have been from a flat planchet. But rather, from planchets that where especially made with an area on the surface of the planchet that was already raised before striking. The helmet then would be able to be completely formed without causing stress lines in the surrounding fields. To be able to flow into the recessed die (cavity) to complete/form the raised helmet surface.

Does this seem a reasonable inference? Is this common for high relief coins/medals for the planchet to have a surface that is partially pre-formed to facilitate the high relief strike?

Does any know where a plastic enclosed holder can be found for these high relief medals can be found?

FOOTNOTES:

(1). Here is a medal with the same obverse of a Corinthian helmeted bust of Athena to R. with a more complete signature of Joseph Eugene Dubois that I believe can be referenced to correctly identify/attribute "DUBOIS" on this medal as "E. Dubois". "E. DUBOIS" is how Joseph E. Dubois would usually sign his medals. (2). Also, being the patriarch of this Dubois family, it would not also be unreasonable that he would also sign some medals simply as Dubois without initials - as in this case.





The signature below the bust reads:


E - Dubois F - DE PUYMAURIN D -

(Dashes represent floating periods.)

1. E is for EUGENE
2. F is for FRANCE
3. D is for Direxit "at the direction of"

Puymaurin, Jean Casimir - Master of the Mint. (1816-1830), Died 1841.

... A large number of the medals issued at the Paris Mint during his (Puymaurin's) tenure of office bear beside the signature of the artist his own: "DE PULMAURIN D". (Baron de Puymurin Direxit) [Direxit - at the direction of]... Dubois, a medalist, worked under him at the Paris Mint, as did many others. (2)


(2). Vol. XVI, 1908 - SPINK & SON'S, monthly NUMISMATIC CIRCULAR, p 11520.


Finally for those of you left, here is a bust of Athena:



ROMAN, 2nd Century AD; found on the Esquiline Hill in ROME. Helmet and bust by Carlo Albacini, 1783; from the collection of Charles Townley.

In closing:



Head of Athena / 400-380 BC.

Regards, Stoystown HAPPY NEW YEAR