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 Replies: 12 / Views: 2,365 |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
449 Posts |
Hello, I dug out my coin collection yesterday, to try and identify some of my coins, I have figured most of them out apart from two. so here goes... Heres the link: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/1033...oin?h=2080c5There are 2 pics of each (1 of each side). Moved to Medals forum - Sap |
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Pillar of the Community
Luxembourg
588 Posts |
These are two French medals.
One from Louis XV and one from Napoleon III.
The second one celebrates a meeting of the Italian army in Paris, but I cannot read everything.
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Valued Member
 United Kingdom
449 Posts |
Thanks for replying, as for the Louis xv one do you have any more info on what is was for, what date and what sort of price it is worth?
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Moderator
 Australia
16849 Posts |
"MDCCXXXVIII" is the date - 1738. The theme on the obverse is "the Health of the Republic". The two standing female figures are Peace and Justice, while Discord lies dying at their feet.
On the reverse, "Helvet" is short for Helvetia, the Latin name for Switzerland. "Genev", "Tigurino" and "Berens" are the Latin abbreviated names for the Swiss cantons of Geneva, Zurich and Bern. So technically, this medal is Swiss, not French. The Swiss cantons all styled themselves as "republics", so that's where the "Republic" comes in.
So, what happened in Switzerland in 1738, why did the French king Louis XV get involved, and why is this monarch credited with giving Health to the Republic? I'm not entirely sure, but Switzerland had a minor civil war between Catholic and Protestant cantons in 1717, and France was called upon by the Catholic cantons for support in the aftermath of that battle. Geneva, Bern and Zurich were all Protestant, so I suspect some dispute arose between them in 1738, with the King of France stepping in to mediate the dispute.
The "Discord" indeed appears to have settled down, if not completely dying away; Switzerland suffered no further internal conflict after 1717.
I googled for it but the only reference I could find were the records of the Geneva Historical and Archaeological Society being presented with one of these medals on May 16 1738.
Edit: "Tigurino" is Zurich, not Ticino.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
449 Posts |
Wow, thats very interesting, now that you guys have provided me with useful info that I can now use to do my own and find a little bit more about them, thank you.
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
449 Posts |
Pictures have been changed!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
851 Posts |
Actually proof Indian Head cents were made. I actually think they are some of the nicest looking proofs when they tone nicely. Here's one:  Edited by coins92
04/04/2010 1:46 pm
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
449 Posts |
So if mine was a proof, how much would the coin be worth?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
wow! I had no idea! I thought all proofs started at 1936 (or around that date)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
851 Posts |
They go back to the very beginning of the 19th century atleast. As far as I am aware for US coins. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
US Proof coins go back to 1817. But they were not sold to collectors until 1858. After that date proofs exist for most all date and denominations. Before 1858 they were kind of hit an miss with proofs being made on request by and for influential people. Also most patterns were struck in proof. In world coins they go back a fair ways further.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 2,365 |
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Posted 02/24/2010 5:19 pm
