1716 Happiness of France Medal. Adams S-5. Silver. Mint State.

1716 Happiness of France Medal. Adams S-5. Silver. Mint State. 42.8 mm. 35.90 grams. Plain edge. Smoky sandy-gray patina and peripheral charcoal-blue highlights give way to brighter antique gold, reddish-orange and steel blue iridescence as the surfaces dip into a light. The strike is sharp throughout, and there is also plenty of luster to greet the viewer as the medal is appreciated with the aid of direct lighting. A bit subdued to suggest a lower Mint State numeric grade, but free of rub, and with only minor handling marks that are buried in the toning. The reverse depiction of a cornucopia dumping coins led to a hopeful interpretation of this being related to the founding of John Law's Banque Generale in 1716, but Adams successfully sleuthed the real intent of this medal's reverse, which was to celebrate the "golden age" of France. We have offered a couple of bronze impressions from these dies in recent years; this is the first silver example, an old friend of our firm that we have handled on two other occasions going back 25 years. Provenance: From the Jonathan H. Kagan Collection. Earlier from Sotheby's sale of the Duke of Northumberland Collection, December 1980, lot 306; our (Bowers and Merena's) sale of the Cabinet of Lucien M. LaRiviere. Part II, March 2001, lot 2045; our (Stack's) sale of the John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XIII, January 2006, lot 618.

Estimation:€0.89

Voir tous les objets deStack's BowersouMonnaies & billets de collection