Premium MDC Monnaies de Collection
1779
-
FRANCE - FRANCE
See original version (French)
1779
-
FRANCE - FRANCE
See original version (French)
Estimate €800
Voluntary lot
Description
FRANCE - FRANCE
First Empire / Napoleon I (1804–1814). Medal, École des Mines du Mont Blanc in Peisey-Vallandry, by Andrieu and Brenet, Year XIII (1805), Paris.
Obverse: NAPOLEON – EMPEROR. Laureate head of Napoleon I facing right; below, signatures DENON DIR./ ANDRIEU F.
Reverse: Mont Blanc depicted as a bearded giant, with miners working beneath a rock; in the exergue: ECOLE DES MINES DU/ MONT BLANC and the signatures BRENET. F. and DENON. D.
Br.472 – Jul.1496 – Ess.1121; Silver – 36.01 g – 41 mm - 12 o’clock
With a collector’s label.
On the edge: ARGENT DES MINES DE PESEY AN XIII. A chip on the rim at 8 o’clock on the reverse. Only minor marks and a lovely grey patina. Superb.
The commune of Peisey (now Peisey-Vallandry, 73210) was known as “Les Monts d’Argent” during the French Revolution, reflecting the importance of its lead and silver mines. Discovered in 1644, the galena vein (silver-bearing lead sulphide) was mined until 1866. Throughout the First Empire (1802–1814), the École Française des Mines was based in Peisey. Seventy engineers were trained there before the school was moved to Paris (École Nationale Supérieure des Mines).
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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