SILVER JETON BANQUE DE FRANCE AN VIII (1800)

[constanius]

This is my second 19th century silver French banking token, I am afraid it won't be my last.

 

JETON BANQUE DE FRANCE AN VIII (1800) by Dumarest 35mm silver. The Bank of France was founded in 1800 & this is a 'jeton de presence' given to directors etc when attending board meetings. This example was struck between 1860-1880 (Bee edge-mark)

 

 

 

This is my first one

[ElleKitty]

That is a lovely token! I love the polygonal sides. If you follow the polishing? marks they complete a circle around the points of the octogon.

 

Congratulations.

[elverno]

The ribbon at the bottom is another clue it's a restrike as the originals did not have it. Of course the edge markings are more definitive; I have a restrike without a wreath, pretty clearly struck with the original dies. A beauty, whether restrike or not!

[Ian]

A VERY interesting jeton type which has numerous varieties and which I have been actively collecting for a number of years.

 

So far I have collected some 20 + different variants including examples of all edge marks, the different signature types (none, Dumarest, D, and MUD), with and without the bow to the ribbon (reverse), etcetera. There is even a documented die error variety.

 

...Then there are jetons of the other national and colonial banks.....then the jetons of the various town and county type savings banks, some of which are quite beautiful.

 

Ian

[constanius]

A VERY interesting jeton type which has numerous varieties and which I have been actively collecting for a number of years.

 

So far I have collected some 20 + different variants including examples of all edge marks, the different signature types (none, Dumarest, D, and MUD), with and without the bow to the ribbon (reverse), etcetera. There is even a documented die error variety.

 

...Then there are jetons of the other national and colonial banks.....then the jetons of the various town and county type savings banks, some of which are quite beautiful.

 

Ian

 

I did notice that the 'LA' between FIXE & FORTUNE in the original strike is across the top close to FIXE, whereas in this re-strike it is on the diagonal close to FORTUNE. Thanks Ian & elverno for the extra info. Do you know where to get a cornucopia (like the one on the medal) that money pours out from? That would be most useful.

[frank]

I also love these pieces... The cgb.fr site is helpful with identifying different varieties.

 

It's Athena and Fortuna, right? "la sagesse" and "la fortune"? ... Athena with her Medusa shield (please remind me why is she stepping on a snake?) and Greek helmet, Fortune with her wheel and steering oar... but what kind of hat is Fortune wearing? Looks like she's balancing on her head one of those plastic cups you get at keg parties...

[elverno]

For many years I carried on an email correspondence with the great collector of Napoleonic medals David Block. One exchange had to do with the engraver of this piece, Dumarest:

 

"Dumarest (the artist) signed in full on Bramsen #29 but used only his first initial on 28. He died young. The obituary in "Le Moniteur" contained remarks about his troubles with the medal mint: they often broke his dies when hardening them, and he had to remake one five times! There are varieties of several of his pieces because of mint accidents."

 

David said that at one point Dumarest threatened to kill the workers at the mint and then himself if they ruined any more of his dies!

[constanius]

I also love these pieces... The cgb.fr site is helpful with identifying different varieties.

 

It's Athena and Fortuna, right? "la sagesse" and "la fortune"? ... Athena with her Medusa shield (please remind me why is she stepping on a snake?) and Greek helmet, Fortune with her wheel and steering oar... but what kind of hat is Fortune wearing? Looks like she's balancing on her head one of those plastic cups you get at keg parties...

 

Wisdom(Minerva or Athena) sets(makes) Fortune(Fortuna or Tyche)

Athena has several symbols:

 

She often wears a helmet on her head and carries a spear. On her vest or on her shield is the symbol of a gorgon's head. She wears an aegis, which is either a vest or shield, which is fringed with snakes. She was the patroness of Athens and the olive tree was special to her. The owl is more than a symbol, because sometimes this is how she appears.

 

The Gorgon's head represents her appearance to her enemies. The snake symbol has many functions. It is the symbol of creation, fertility, regeneration, healing, life force, and regenerative force. The snake is the symbol of the creative power of wisdom. The aegis represents its protective power. The helmet and spear relate to the fact that wisdom and strategy is the key to victory in war.

 

On Fortuna's head is a kalathos hat.

 

THRACE, HADRIANOPOLIS, GORDIAN III, 238-244 AD, AE 25.5 MM, 9.26 GRMS, LAUREATE HEAD RIGHT, REV. TYCHE WITH KALATHOS (HAT) STANDING, HOLDING RUDDER AND CORNUCOPIAE, VF

[frank]

kalathos: a fruit basket having a conventionalized shape of a lily, often used in ancient art as a symbol of fertility (Dictionary.com).

 

Here is a link to the British Museum site showing a kalathos in their collection: British Museum link

 

NumisWiki at forumancientcoins.com defines it thus: A kalathos is a tall headdress symbolizing prosperity and worn by certain goddesses such as Demeter and her daughter Persephone.