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four silver coins with a picture of a man and a woman on themsix different types of coins are shown on a white surface
Accademia Fine Art

335 - HEUR ET MALHEUR
See original version (French)

Estimate €80 - €120
Sale commission
Description
HEUR ET MALHEUR Set of 6 tokens Famous series of octagonal gaming tokens entitled ‘Heur et Malheur’, engraved by Raymond Gayrard (1777–1858), who was ennobled in 1825 by Charles X, with the inscriptions composed under the direction of Jean-Pierre Casimir de Marcassus, Baron de Puymaurin (Director of the Paris Mint between 1816 and 1830), hence the double signature ‘GAYRARD’ and ‘DE PUYMAURIN D.’. The design concept behind this series is highly original: on the obverse, a bifront (two-faced) bust of a woman, one face smiling and crowned with fruit, the other expressing sorrow with hair made of snakes, symbolising precisely ‘Heur’ (happiness/good fortune) and ‘Malheur’ (misfortune). On the reverse, each token bears a different motto and allegory: it is a complete series comprising some twenty different mottos, including “As a disciple of Ceres, I spread her blessings”, “Let us not wait for the return of dawn”, ‘The stranger the trick, the happier she is’, ‘I have worked, I reap the rewards’. These tokens were used in gambling circles (casinos and private clubs of the 19th century), hence their octagonal shape.
See original version (French)
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About the sale Day 2: Major Classic Art Auction – Old Master Paintings, Sculptures, Furniture, Archaeological Artefacts, Asian Art, Curiosities, Glassware, Silverware
Auction location
Auction time 11/12/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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