Hi folks Sorry for the joke in the title, but, hey, that's how one makes people come into the shop ! Today is the anniversary of the french king Louis XVI being beheaded (jan 21st, 1793) Please show your coins of Louis XVI, as king of France, or as king of the french, or whatever french royal you wish to post Louis XVI (1774-1792) - Demi Ecu aux lauriers 1791 A Atelier de Paris, 2° semestre de 1791 (.A) LUD . XVI . D . G . FR . ET . NAV . REX ., buste habillé a gauche orné du cordon du Saint Esprit. Point sous le D de LUD . SIT . NOMEN . DOMINI BENEDICTVM lyre 1791, ecu ovale couronné entre deux branches de laurier, .A sous l'ecu Tranche inscrite : DOMINE SALVVM FAC REGEM 14.70 gr Ref : Ciani # 2189 This coin and the following three give a "shortcut" of how the person of the King was considered through the french revolution : on this one Louis XVI is monarch by Divine right "Ludovicus XVI Deo Gratia Fran. et Nav. Rex" Constitution - 12 deniers 1791 A Atelier de Paris (A) LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCOIS, buste drapé a gauche, A sous le buste LA NATION LA LOI LE ROI rose 1791 . 3 . DELALIB . faisceau surmonté d'un bonnet phrygien entre deux branches de chêne 11.82 gr Ref : Ciani # 2253 We now have a King being on the same level as his subjects and the Law. He his king of the french instead of being king of France Constitution - 30 sols 1792 I Atelier de Limoges (I) . LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCOIS . a l'exergue 1792, buste drapé a gauche REGNE DE LA LOI, le genie de la liberté a droite, gravant la CONSTITUTION. Dans le champ 30 | SOLS . et I, a l'exergue L'AN 4 DE LA LIBERTE . en deux lignes 10.16 gr Ref : Ciani # 2241 Louis XVI is still there on the obverse, but the reverse says "the Law is now above all and everything" Convention - Sol aux balances 1793 AA Atelier de Metz (AA) refrappe REPUBLIQUE FRANCOISE, la table de la loi, avec gravé LES HOMMES SONT EGAUX DEVANT LA LOI en cinq lignes, de part et d'autre une grappe de raisin et des epis de blé, a l'exergue L'AN II LIBERTE EGALITE, balance surmontée d'un bonnet phrygien, entourée d'une couronne de chêne, au centre I . S a l'exergue AA 1793 en deux lignes 10.89 gr Ref : Gadoury 2003 # 19 The King is no more present (he's had been executed on jan 21st the same year), and "humans are equals towards Law" Q
A little? Then again, the Ancients forum often has posts about medieval or relatively modern coins. @Cucumbor - Great pieces indeed, and an interesting development of the titles or references. Hmm, "avec gravé LES HOMMES SONT EGAUX DEVANT LA LOI en cinq lignes". Only five? Six, anyone? Subtle but important title differences, by the way, can be found on other (even 20c) coins. Think of Belgium where the head of state is king by the grace of the people. Not Koning van België or Roi de Belgique but Koning der Belgen/Roi des Belges ... Christian
@chrisild hahaha ! Yes, six lines of course, one of them must have grown during the night !! Thanks for the correction Q
@Cucumbor these are really interesting coins. I think my favorite is the last one because it's boasting of the execution and makes it more interesting to me. These coins are very far away from my collecting areas but I still appreciate them. I also think it's interesting that you posted them in the Ancients section because you feel more at home there. I must admit, I often feel the same way, especially when I moved into the Ancients area. My comfort zone was the Exonumia thread. I've privately corresponded with several of the members who regularly post and I know they're at least mildly interested in my tokens.
I fell for your "short cut" trick ... clever Wow, great OP-coins (congrats Q) Ummm, I can't seem to walk past one of these threads without posting my sweet examples from Lorraine (please forgive me) Lorraine, Duke of Lorraine, Theobald II 1303-1312 Lorraine, City of Metz 1415-1540 Duke of Lorraine. Charles IV, 2nd reign 1661-1670 Lorraine, Antoine the Good 1508-1544
Well I've got a Blanc Guenar of Charles the Mad (1368-1422)... Charles VI "The Mad" 1380-1422 AR Blanc Guénar, 2.9g, 29mm. Obv.: + KAROLVS: FRANCORV: REX; Shield of arms. Rev.: + SIT: nOmE: DnI: BENEDICTV; Cross with two crowns and two lis. Reference: DuP 377
lovely coins, i like 18th century stuff as well. i have a coin from number 15, but not 16... France, Louis XV, Sol, 1719, Reims mint 30 mm, 12.6g, AE
Meant it in sarcasm so I apologize. I really should remember to use . Sarcasm really does not communicate well online without visual aids. I feel the same way. Aside from knowing those that collect both ancient (grouping medieval with ancients for sake of argument) and modern, and those modern-collecting people that pop in here sometimes, I don't really communicate with anyone outside the ancients section. Outside of here and the world section (from when ancients and world were together, I think some of my ancients posts stayed in world) you will maybe find one or two posts. So yeah my "home" is here too
I don't know anything about modern French coins but was glad to see this and happy that anyone feels 'at home' here. If I were setting up an online discussion group (I'm not, CT is fine with me) I would separate coin collecting from numismatics. Collectors are interested in two things: grade and price. Numismatics includes some hard to define things like style, fabric, historical links and a pile of 'why' questions that can not be addressed on a slab label or one line eBay listing. Several of our more well to do collectors here are also fine numismatists and post some really interesting things about coins that might at first look seem like things I would not find interesting but end up making me wish I could find one in my bracket. I would not mind it a bit if we never had a other post of a cull uncleaned AE3 with the question of what is it worth. Any coin that can be valued for what it is and not for what it is worth is welcome here as far as I'm concerned.
@Cucumbor I am so glad to have read this thread you created. I just wanted to share this item I found in my dad's old World Coin collection that he left me before he passed away years ago. I always wanted to know what it was but kept it in a misc box of coins knowing one day I would get to it. Now I have the information I needed thanks to you. But I do believe that mine could be a fake cast copy. The weight is way off as you can see in my picture of 20.0 gr Also it is holed for some reason. The date is 1788..Any thoughts? Thanks
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, it looks fake unfortunately : style is off, metal doesn't seem to be silver (one can see the copper core under the silver wash) and devices are too soft to look legit Q
