The Most Beautiful: Coins from the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Selected by Frédérique Duyrat
10Gold moëde, Martinique, 1805, gold, 30.5 mm, 10.91 g. BnF, MMA, 2019.82.
This astonishing coin is a contemporary forgery of a 6400 réis “1769 Rio.” These gold coins, nicknamed moëdes in French, were common in the West Indies during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire. As they were often underweight, some received a gold plug – here on the king’s nose – to make them closer to the standard, a common practice in the French and British Islands. Furthermore, as the gold of the moëdes could be debased, in 1805, the Martinique goldsmiths had to check the metal and countermark the coins, hence the “20 and eagle” countermark meaning that the coin is worth “20 livres le gros.”
This astonishing coin is a contemporary forgery of a 6400 réis “1769 Rio.” These gold coins, nicknamed moëdes in French, were common in the West Indies during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire. As they were often underweight, some received a gold plug – here on the king’s nose – to make them closer to the standard, a common practice in the French and British Islands. Furthermore, as the gold of the moëdes could be debased, in 1805, the Martinique goldsmiths had to check the metal and countermark the coins, hence the “20 and eagle” countermark meaning that the coin is worth “20 livres le gros.”
0920th of an écu, Louis XV, 1716, 1.51g, silver. BnF, MMA, CHA 2950.
This 20th of an écu known as a “vertugadin” is a small silver coin of Louis XV overstruck by the Paris mint in 1716 on a 20th of an ecu “with three crowns” probably from the Nantes mint.
This 20th of an écu known as a “vertugadin” is a small silver coin of Louis XV overstruck by the Paris mint in 1716 on a 20th of an ecu “with three crowns” probably from the Nantes mint.
08Teston, Louis XII, 1514-1515, 9.37g, silver. BnF, MMA, Côte 1104.
Created by Louis XII king of France (1498-1515) on 6 April 1514, the teston imitates coins of Milan and is the first heavy silver coin issued in France (9.54 g). It is also the first time that the portrait of the king is represented on a coin, hence their name (from tête, head). Testons circulated in France until 1641.
Created by Louis XII king of France (1498-1515) on 6 April 1514, the teston imitates coins of Milan and is the first heavy silver coin issued in France (9.54 g). It is also the first time that the portrait of the king is represented on a coin, hence their name (from tête, head). Testons circulated in France until 1641.
07Franc, Jean II, 1360-1364, 3.81g, gold. BnF, MMA, Y 728.
Franc à cheval. This is the first French franc; it was created on the 5th of December 1360. This gold coin was issued to pay the ransom of the king of France, Jean II the Good (1350-1364), who had been captured by the English in 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers.
Franc à cheval. This is the first French franc; it was created on the 5th of December 1360. This gold coin was issued to pay the ransom of the king of France, Jean II the Good (1350-1364), who had been captured by the English in 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers.
06Aureus in an octogonal opus interrasile mount with a hook, gold, 12.96g, 40 mm high, BnF, MMA, 1997.530.
This piece of jewellery comes from the famous hoard of the 4th cent. AD found in Beaurains (France) in 1922. Most of the hoard was dispersed but a sample of coins and medallions was bought by public institutions. This medallion was part of a necklace made of a collection of similar pendants. The aureus represents Commodus as Hercules, its mount is typical of 3rd cent. Roman gold jewels.
This piece of jewellery comes from the famous hoard of the 4th cent. AD found in Beaurains (France) in 1922. Most of the hoard was dispersed but a sample of coins and medallions was bought by public institutions. This medallion was part of a necklace made of a collection of similar pendants. The aureus represents Commodus as Hercules, its mount is typical of 3rd cent. Roman gold jewels.
05Medallion, Rome, AD 284-305, bronze, 63.43g, 42 mm, BnF, MMA, AF 602.
This big bronze medallion shows a spectacular portrait of emperor Diocletian (AD 284-305), the founder of the Tetrarchy. On the reverse, the Tres Monetae are a symbol of the trimetallic monetary system – gold, silver, bronze – restored by Diocletian.
This big bronze medallion shows a spectacular portrait of emperor Diocletian (AD 284-305), the founder of the Tetrarchy. On the reverse, the Tres Monetae are a symbol of the trimetallic monetary system – gold, silver, bronze – restored by Diocletian.
04Niketerion, Northern Greece, 3rd cent. AD, gold, 98.8 g, 67 mm, BnF, MMA, F 1673.
This medallion was part of the Tarsus hoard. They all celebrate Alexander the Great and his family. This one shows a remarkable portrait of Philip II. These niketeria were distributed by Roman emperors to athletes victorious in games at the time of Severus Alexander (AD 222-235) and his successors.
This medallion was part of the Tarsus hoard. They all celebrate Alexander the Great and his family. This one shows a remarkable portrait of Philip II. These niketeria were distributed by Roman emperors to athletes victorious in games at the time of Severus Alexander (AD 222-235) and his successors.
03Half of a stater, 3rd cent. BC, gold, 4.05 g, 15.5 mm, BnF, MMA, 10303A.
This early Celtic coin is of exceptional virtuosity despite its small size. The reverse type is a simplification of the two-horse chariot (biga) on the reverse of the Macedonian staters of Philip II (359-336 BC).
This early Celtic coin is of exceptional virtuosity despite its small size. The reverse type is a simplification of the two-horse chariot (biga) on the reverse of the Macedonian staters of Philip II (359-336 BC).
0220 staters, Eucratides I, Bactria, c. 170-145 B.C., gold, 169.20 g, 58 mm, BnF, MMA, E 3605.
Coins seldom have an individual name. But, when this one was acquired, the head of the Coin cabinet called it a “numismatic monster.” This coin is an unicum, the heaviest gold coin of Antiquity. It was found near Bukhara (Uzbekistan) by peasants who killed each other for its possession. The last man standing went to London to sell it, carrying it hidden in a pouch under his armpit. He was rebuked for trying to sell a counterfeit until Emperor Napoleon III bought if for the French Coin cabinet in 1867.
Coins seldom have an individual name. But, when this one was acquired, the head of the Coin cabinet called it a “numismatic monster.” This coin is an unicum, the heaviest gold coin of Antiquity. It was found near Bukhara (Uzbekistan) by peasants who killed each other for its possession. The last man standing went to London to sell it, carrying it hidden in a pouch under his armpit. He was rebuked for trying to sell a counterfeit until Emperor Napoleon III bought if for the French Coin cabinet in 1867.
01Didrachm, Velia, Lucania, c. 330-300 BC, silver, 7.61 g. BnF, MMA, Luynes 651.
A Greek coin sketched by Degas. This didrachm of Velia (Lucania) was given with the entire collection of the duc de Luynes to the Coin Cabinet in 1862. Its beauty attracted the interest of Edgar Degas who sketched it with another Greek coin from Naxos.
A Greek coin sketched by Degas. This didrachm of Velia (Lucania) was given with the entire collection of the duc de Luynes to the Coin Cabinet in 1862. Its beauty attracted the interest of Edgar Degas who sketched it with another Greek coin from Naxos.
The Coin cabinet in the Bibliothèque nationale de France retains the former collection of the kings of France, enlarged after the Revolution to reach the current number of 450,000 coins and tokens (of which 55% are online), 150,000 medals and 42,000 objects: engraved gems, Greek vases, bronze sculptures, ancient and modern.
Frédérique Duyrat, Julien Olivier, Dominique Hollard, Vincent Drost, Jean-Yves Kind and Jérôme Jambu have selected their favourite coins for their beauty or because of their historical importance.
You can find the sketch by Degas that depicts the Greek coin we show in this selection in the online database Gallica of the BnF website.
There is also available the Naxos coin shown in the same sketch.
You can read more here about the sketches of Greek coins made by Degas.
For further information go to the website of the Coin Cabinet.
