1806 Alliance avec la Saxe, France
Laskey LXXVIII
Bramsen 551
d'Essling 1149


41mm Link

One of the first things Napoleon did was cement an alliance with the Kingdom of Saxony. This medal commemorates the event and compares Napoleon with Charlemagne and Frederick Augustus with Wittekind, chief of the Saxons.

It's a wonderful medal but is slated to be sent for conservation because of the oxidation and the odd red jelly streaks. Sigh...

1806 Colonne de la Grande Armée, France
Laskey LXXI
Bramsen 463
d'Essling 1118


40mm Link

1805 had been an incredible year for the French Army. A greatful nation erected a column to commemorate the events of the year in the Place Vendome. The column had brass bas-reliefs depicting the events in chronological order beginning at the bottom and circling to the top.

1806 Notaires de Château-Thierry, France
Bramsen 593
d'Essling 1847


34mm Link

I'm interested in the art of medal making in the Napoleonic era. This piece is an oddity, and possibly unique. It appears to have been a mint experiment in either combining silver and copper planchets or in silvering the obverse. The reverse is only partially engraved.

I also collected another mint artifact related to this medal. It is a tin trial strike of the reverse, a little further along in the engraving process than the test piece above. Engravers in the French mints at least would splash a paper thin layer of molten tin on a smooth surface and then press their die into the metal. These trial strikes were almost always destroyed by tossing them back into the pot of tin. This one has been roughly trimmed, probably to be given to a supervisor for commentary.

Ironically, I don't yet own a production strike of the medal.

The artwork on these pieces is fantastic.

1806 Souverainetés Données, France
Bramsen 553
Laskey LXIX
d'Essling 1154


41mm Link

Laskey had this commentary about the medal:
"When we recollect the many and great alterations in the sovereignties on the continent of Europe, during the dynasty of Napoleon, we are not surprized at the flattery here displayed by this medal. The electors of Wirtemberg and Bavaria were elevated to kingly dignities; his brother Louis, king of Holland; Joseph was crowned king of Naples; and Jerome, king of Westphalia: the sovereignity of Neuffchatel was transferred to Marshal Berthier, and the principality of Guastalla to the Princess Paulina, and her husband the Prince of Borghese; while the crowns on the floor are emblematic of those states overthrown by the power of his arms, or the crooked policy of their own governments."

1806 Société des sciences de Tours, France
Bramsen 605
Edwards 231
d'Essling 2349


30mm Link

1806 Occupation d'Hambourg, France
Laskey LXXIX
Bramsen 549
d'Essling 1152


41mm Link

Laskey says about this medal:
"This medal records the taking possession of the neutral city of Hamburg, and the seizure of all British property that was found there, by the French, in the year 1806; a formal notification was first given to the Court of Berlin, that the city of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubec would not be permitted to join the Northern Confederation, as the Emperor of the French intended to take them under his own protection, which was accordingly done; and the National Medal Mint was ordered, by the Government of France, to perpetuate the event, by composing and striking a medal on the occupation of Hamburg."

1806 L'Arc de Triomphe, France
Bramsen 557
Laskey LXXII
d'Essling 1156


41mm Link

Laskey says in part:
"This medal commemorates the erection of the triumphal arch in the place de Carousel, at Paris: it is modelled after the antique arch of Septimius Severus..."

1806 Notaires du département de la Seine, France
Bramsen 595
d'Essling 2096
Edwards 219
Milan 582


33mm Link

A jeton de presence. Octagonal jetons are a favorite of mine so I bid on any of them I see. As a result I have some duplicates such as this one.


33mm Link

1806 Death of William Pitt, Great Britain
BHM 610
d'Essling 2905


53mm Link

BHM said in part:
"William Pitt never enjoyed good health and by 1805 it had declined to the point where frequent visits to Bath were required to relieve the gout and biliousness, the latter possibly induced by a duodenal ulcer. His last weeks were spent in both mental and physical agony after receiving the news of the battle of Austerlitz which shattered the coalition he had built up. Pitt's last words were, 'Oh my country, how I leave my country'. He was buried in Westminster Abbey."

BHM 613
d'Essling 2908


53mm Link

Considered a fairly common medal in copper it is unlisted in white metal (or perhaps pewter).

1806 Avoués de la cour d'Appel, France
Bramsen 597
d'Essling 2097
Edwards 221
Milan 583-584


33mm Link

A jeton de presence of the Lawyers of the Court of Appeals.

1806 Les Invalides prussiens reçoivent leur solde, Prussia
Bramsen 547
Edwards 213
d'Essling 1150


18mm Link

The year 1806 featured the destruction of the Prussian Army in the dual battles of Jena-Auerstadt. In the pursuit that followed Berlin was abandoned by the fleeing Prussian Army and entered by Napoleon without significant opposition. In the few days that Napoleon spent there he made sure that the Prussian invalids, a term that included retired veterans as well as those crippled by their experiences, still received their pensions. The gesture was not lost by the veterans and this little jeton was struck in Berlin to commemorate the event and show their appreciation.

It wasn't struck in large numbers to begin with and they were essentially pulled from circulation as Napoleon moved further and further away from Berlin. I would estimate perhaps 25 surviving in private hands and oddly enough at least six of them, including this one, have been for sale on eBay in the past 6 years.

This example, one of my most treasured medals, was a gift of the Napoleonic medal scholar David Block. David and I became friends near the end of his life and exchanged nearly 2,000 emails in a 2 year period. Typical of David he never hinted in any of that correspondance that he was dying slowly of emphysema. I have continued to host his website since his passing in 2002. About a month before his passing he outbid me on this medal and promptly sent it to me... I miss that guy...

Indeed a special piece. So much more special than any dollar value or rarity estimate could convey.

1806 Bataille d'Jena, France
Bramsen 537
Edwards 201
D'Essling 1143
Milan 546


41mm Link

The Battle of Jena featured Napoleon and most of his army vs. a fraction of the Prussian Army. Auerstadt, only a few miles away and on the same day was the site of a battle between Davout; Napoleon's most capable and independent commander, against the majority of the Prussian Army, the numbers reversed from Jena. In both battles the French crushed the Prussian Army though with fierce fighting in both places. Napoleon never really forgave Davout for winning the more significant of the two battles. Bramsen lists 6 medals commemorating Jena and none for Auerstadt.

What is true is that the two battles and the buzzsaw of a pursuit that followed shattered the Prussian Army.

This is the only example of this medal I've ever seen in white metal. It may have been a pre-production test strike before hardening the dies.

You could not be more correct Bill. It was a short friendship and in the oddity that is the internet, a friendship where we never met in person. But David became one of the significant persons I have ever had the honor and pleasure to know. When he passed it was as if my father had died.

1806 Joséphine impératrice, France
Bramsen 562
Edwards 214


46mm Link

This is a repoussé, a thin piece of metal pressed into a die. They have no reverse and are usually very high relief. Most are made of copper or other base metal and then silvered or gilt like this one.

Joséphine only had about 7-8 pieces produced with her as the subject during her time as Empress. This is one of them, part of a short series featuring the women of Napoleon's family.

1806 Confédération du Rhin, France
Laskey LXXIII
Bramsen 534
d;Essling 1139


41mm Link

When Austria surrendered after Austerlitz one of the consequences was that the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist. Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire became Francis I of the Austrian Empire.

Napoleon filled the political vacuum by creating the Confédération du Rhin, explicitly excluding both Austria and later Prussia from membership. These member states accepted the protection of France and in return provided a buffer zone between France and Austria, Prussia and Russia. They were also expected to provide troops, troops that ultimately made up one of the largest non-French contingents of the Grand Armee.

Whoa. you're still awake!

Just you and I in the whole forum

1806 Suprême conseil de la 33eme Loge, France
Bramsen 533
Edwards 195
Marvin CLXXXIII
d'Essling 2101


33mm Link

An R4 medal, once in the collection of Prince Victor Napoleon and possibly Napoleon himself. It is placed in 1806 because of the event commemorated however it wasn't engraved and struck until 1812.

A modern silver restrike, also relatively rare. Notice the difference in the edges.


33mm Link

Those medals are amazing. The 1806 Confédération du Rhin is my favorite.

1806 Mariage du Prince de Bade, France
Laskey LXX
Bramsen 522
d'Essling 1130


41mm Link

Laskey said:
"This medal was struck on the marriage of the Prince of Baden with Stephanie Napoleon, by order of the government of France."

1806 Société des sciences de Rouen, France
Bramsen 604
Edwards 230
d'Essling 2290


31mm Link

A white metal example that has had a black patina added to it.

1806 Loge de la Clémente Amitié, France
Bramsen 613
Marvin LII
Edwards 242
d'Essling 2104


28mm Link

One of my favorites, this was probably actually engraved in 1807. I place it in 1806 because three of the four references agree on that. However, Forrer in his epic on medallists states that Gayrard engraved this medal in 1807.