The vanguard of the British fleet was savaged by the French, and Byng decided to cut his losses and head for Gibraltar. The result of that decision was that the French took Minorca and with it the strategically important Port Mahon base.
It is commonly held that Byng’s squadron was ill equipped for the task he had been set and the probabilities are that he would have been well trounced if he had not withdrawn. In the event, it appears that he was made a scapegoat for admiralty incompetence as evidenced by his subsequent court martial back in England. Although cleared of cowardice he still ended up being sentenced to death for dereliction of duty. He was executed in March 1757 on HMS Monarch in Portsmouth harbour by a shot to the back of his head.
Needless to say, the French duly celebrated their victory at Port Mahon, by issuing a silver jeton commemorating the event.
The first jeton shown has the bust of Louis XV facing to the right (obverse) and an eagle flying above the clouds, wind, and stormy seas (reverse) dated 1756 and signifying the first outbreak of naval hostilities between the two nations during the war.
So, what does all this have to do with the Americans? Well, there are two relevances. The first being the cost of the war on Britain and the effects it had on the colonies when taxes were increased to help defray these costs. The second relevance lies with a later French victory over the Brits.
Although the Brits went on to win the seven year war, it cost them dearly in economic terms. They had borrowed heavily from bankers both at home and in the Netherlands. The national debt rocketed skywards and needed repayment. This was accomplished (rather ill advisedly) by sharp increases in taxation. Nowhere was the taxation felt more painfully than the American colonies due to the imposition of harsh duties on imported goods like sugar, tea etcetera.. The seeds of discontent were sewn big time. It is generally understood that the seven year war directly led to the overt parting of the ways between the American colonies and Britain and led to the subsequent war of independence.
The American struggle for independence was heavily supported by the French both directly and indirectly. However, perhaps the most famous aspects of their direct input, and one which had a decisive effect on the eventual outcome of the war was the French naval victory over the British fleet at the second battle of Virginia Capes in 1781. The British navy was driven from Chesapeake bay effectively preventing the resupply of the British troops in Virginia under Cornwallis. Cornwallis surrendered four weeks later at Yorktown.
The French marked their victory at Chesapeake and the subsequent victory at Yorktown by issuing another jeton. Louis XVI felt that it would be good idea to have his name and face linked to his fathers previous victory over the British. His choice was to use the same reverse as the Port Mahon jeton excepting that the date on the original dies should be obliterated.
The `Yorktown' jeton has a young bust of Louis XVI facing right (obverse). The reverse is identical to the Port Mahon jeton excepting for the obliterated date. In the exergue you can clearly see a blob of surplus metal caused by the date having been deliberately chipped off of the original 1756 dies.
So, here we have two jetons much the same to the casual observation, but their stories are twenty five years apart. The stories span the life of two French kings; relate to the historic events leading to and having decisive effect on the war of independence. French jetons they may be, but their history relates to three nations.
And I will say so fearlessly while wearing my asbestos suit. 