1716 John Law / The Avenger of the Fraud Medal. Betts-125, Adams-2. Silver. AU-53 (PCGS).
41.4 mm. Golden toning with blue highlights graces light silver surfaces. Somewhat polished in the past, showing some trivial obverse hairlines and scattered marks on both sides, but pleasing and well preserved overall. A thin scratch is noted in front of the infant king's lips. This obverse is likely the first one paired with this reverse, making this the original form of the medal despite being listed as Adams-2. This medal celebrates the Chambre de Justice as "avenger of avaricious fraud" against the lenders who ostensibly plunged the French government into debt in the years before the rise of John Law. The reverse scene depicts Cacus the cattle thief being apprehended at the cave by Hercules, with the stolen cows visible in the background. While the bankers were being likened to a classical livestock robber, those spending that lent money (the French crown) go blameless here. Adams calls this variety Rarity-7. It was not present in the Ford Collection. The reverse crack behind Cacus is seen here in an early state, with a lump at the cow horns and a crack above it.
From the Skyler Liechty Collection. Earlier from Baldwin's, September 2017. Collector envelope with attribution and provenance notes included.

Estimate: $1000