Ian Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I recall posting a medal and jeton issued for La Monnaie de Paris ...I thought about a year ago. On looking for it i was shocked to note that it was five years ago...2006. Gosh...time does fly all too quickly. There were quite a number of mints in France until fairly modern times.Some of them even had jetons struck specially for the payment of the members of their respective `Advisory Councils / Boards of Directors'. The one below was struck for the advisors and administrators of the mint at Rouen in 1711. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saor Alba Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 If they were made in payment, were they accepted as coin of the realm - ala like some of the so called Largesse money in Sweden? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 They had greater significance than `coinage of the realm' in that they were struck specifically for certain individuals or groups of individuals. Even though they generally carried the king's effigy (some didn't) they were highly prized and were a general statement of `position' within the king's regime. They did change hands in trade / commerce as some of the noble families occupying these positions had more status than they had `ready cash'. Bear in mind that positions within the regime were `bought' from the king's treasurers and `payment' for work performed was made in the form of an honourarium in the form of jetons (copper or silver or both). In simple terms, silver was silver in any man's currency at that time. Most jetons found on the market today are in grades below EF, which in many respects is testimony to their having found their way, in some shape or form, into general circulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 Another beaut, with the added bonus it depicts a coin press, always nice for a numismatic collector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 I love your jeton, Ian. Can I have it? Do the ties hanging from the ends of the screw press bar get tied around horses, or pulled by people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 I love your jeton, Ian. Can I have it? Do the ties hanging from the ends of the screw press bar get tied around horses, or pulled by people? Let me take a guess at what the ropes are for. Having a mechanical background and have been around machines and devices with such screws I might be able to shed some light. This theory is dependent on the construction of the press but I have seen this mechanical action on a couple of different machines not related to coining. Once a screw press approches a maximum pressure the screw wants to naturally spring back in the opposite direction. If the machine is well oiled you could take the end of the handle once the die nears the planchet and fling it much like throwing a baseball in a sidearm fashion. As the screw exerts the maximum pressure it wants to spring back. So buy using the ropes you could feasibly work the handle back and forth without touching the handle itself. The handle would only have to spin a half turn or less to accomplish one cycle of pressing the coin and returning the screw into the up posistion. This would be just enough for the worker to clear the new coin and insert a new blank. Using two people one pulling the rope and the other feeding the planchets in harmony the coining would go much faster. You would have to assume that the poor fellow that feed the blanks into the press would eventually lose a few finger tips. Theory #2--The ropes are there to secure the handle so the screw would not rotate down under its own pressure smashing one's hand--you choose theory 1, 2 or both --- As I said just a guess and I would love to hear another opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Suggested Reading: "The US Mint and Coinage" by Don Taxay. Specifically the section titled "Coining Operations" where screw and fly presses are described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Let me take a guess at what the ropes are for. Having a mechanical background and have been around machines and devices with such screws I might be able to shed some light. This theory is dependent on the construction of the press but I have seen this mechanical action on a couple of different machines not related to coining. Once a screw press approches a maximum pressure the screw wants to naturally spring back in the opposite direction. If the machine is well oiled you could take the end of the handle once the die nears the planchet and fling it much like throwing a baseball in a sidearm fashion. As the screw exerts the maximum pressure it wants to spring back. So buy using the ropes you could feasibly work the handle back and forth without touching the handle itself. The handle would only have to spin a half turn or less to accomplish one cycle of pressing the coin and returning the screw into the up posistion. This would be just enough for the worker to clear the new coin and insert a new blank. Using two people one pulling the rope and the other feeding the planchets in harmony the coining would go much faster. You would have to assume that the poor fellow that feed the blanks into the press would eventually lose a few finger tips. Theory #2--The ropes are there to secure the handle so the screw would not rotate down under its own pressure smashing one's hand--you choose theory 1, 2 or both --- As I said just a guess and I would love to hear another opinion! A very astute set of theories my dear chap. Personally, I would go with theory no. 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Posted March 8, 2012 Report Share Posted March 8, 2012 Here is the ANA's Mini Mint screw press in action. http://www.youtube.c...ricanNumismatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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