A good friend and fellow coin collector is selling some of his collection and has offered me this 1667 Louis 14 Paris Observatory gold medal. The medal, with bejeweled (6 small Sapphires) gold bezel is 28.4 grams and 33 mm. This particular medal is a bit of a mystery, as I cannot find another one like it online. There are similar pieces but none identical. The ANA has a bronze of this medal, 33 mm and 20 grams and a larger 42 mm copper one with a different legend. The NY Met has a gilt bronze large 48 mm that looks like this one. Any help or information about this piece would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.
Paging Mr. John Milton @johnmilton I wouldn't be surprised if John has the whole set. John can you help with any info on this medal?
Sorry, no. Foreign medals are not my thing. I collect some American medals and have an excellent reference for the 19th century pieces (Julian), but I don't know anything about this piece. If the market for this piece is like it is for American pieces, the fact that it has been made into jewely is a negative. The obverse has been polished. There are polishing marks. The edge may have been damaged by the bezel and there are what appear to be heat marks on three places on the obverse. The fact that it is a pin, might be the way it was intended to be issued. I don't know the answer to that. I'm sorry I don't know any more.
