FRANCE. Establishment of the Paris Discount Bank Silver Medal, 1778. NGC MS-61.
By Pierre-Simon Benjamin Duvivier. Diameter: 55mm. Obverse: Seated female, seated, facing right, left handing holding the lid of a secure trunk containing money bags, currency in her left hand, money bags at her feet; perimeter legend SURETÉ DANS LA CONFIANCE above; two-line legend CAISSE D'ESCOMPTE / ÉTABLIE EN 1776 in exergue below; Reverse: Mercury, standing right and facing left, offers a cornucopia to a seated France at left; perimeter legend GAGE DE LA RECONNOISSANCE DES ACTIONNAIRES above; three-line legend DECERNE PAR L'ASSEMBLÉE / GÉNÉRALE DU XVI AVRIL / MDCCLXXVIII in exergue below; signature DVVIV. above exergue at left. The brainchild of Isaac Panchaud, the Caisse d'Escompte was modeled on the Bank of England and envisioned as a Central Bank for France. Finance Minister Turgot, and Necker after him, encouraged the bank; it was seen as a much-needed source of revenue for the French state. It began issuing banknotes in 1777, and was firmly supported by other Parisian banks by 1778. This medal offers dazzling white argent surfaces with little toning to interrupt the hue. Light hairlines commensurate with the grade. An attractive composition and well-executed by Duvivier. Extremely rare and highly desirable.
Margolis had a few rather overt interests in his collecting of medallic art. One such theme was that of medals pertaining to man's earliest pursuits to conquer the heavens in the form of ballooning. The European exploits of the late 18th century are contained here across many different country categories. Also quite noticeable was his interest in the medallic art of Jewish engravers, such as Jakob Abraham and his son, Abraham Abramson, among numerous others. Across this selection of medals, these themes and topics will become obvious, adding further dimensions to the already intense focus with which Margolis pursued his collecting.
From the Richard Margolis Collection.

Estimate: $1000.00 - $1500.00