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Poultry Inspectors of Paris circa 1730


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This jeton was struck during the early reign of Louis XV to provide recompense to the people charged with monitoring the sale of poultry at the various Paris markets at that time. The reverse shows a naked Adam and Eve beneath a tree with a serpent on it and various animals surrounding.

 

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I think the French were still in the period when jetons were pay because the exchange of actual money would have been inappropriate given the rank and status of the people involved, but I'll defer to Ian's explanation since he knows a lot more about jetons than I do.

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Bill is absolutely correct. These `jetons de presence' were struck specifically by Paris mint for the individuals concerned as an `honorarium', and received in a purse containing a set number of jetons as recompense for the performance of their role. It is also important to remember we are talking about a period in time when `money' was based on the precious metal content, and these jetons were of similar value to the 1/3rd Ecu in silver content. However the real money was to be made through the mis-use of office. It appears to have been the norm of the day to (nigh on always) use the role to make money on the side through bungs or other forms of less than ethical practices. Some stellar examples of mis-use of the `appointment to office' are known.

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Bill is absolutely correct. These `jetons de presence' were struck specifically by Paris mint for the individuals concerned as an `honorarium', and received in a purse containing a set number of jetons as recompense for the performance of their role. It is also important to remember we are talking about a period in time when `money' was based on the precious metal content, and these jetons were of similar value to the 1/3rd Ecu in silver content. However the real money was to be made through the mis-use of office. It appears to have been the norm of the day to (nigh on always) use the role to make money on the side through bungs or other forms of less than ethical practices. Some stellar examples of mis-use of the `appointment to office' are known.

 

While the compensation is now sky-high the misuse tradition appears to carry on.

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