FRANCE. Jacques Necker Bronze Medal, 1789. NGC MS-63 Brown.
Trésor de Numismatique et de Glyptique pl. X, no. 4. Unknown engraver. Diameter: 33mm. Obverse: Bust of Necker facing left, perimeter legend M . NECKER . above; signature D below the bust; Reverse: Seven-line legend and date JOUIS / DE TA GLOIRE / LES HOMMES / COMMENCENT / À TE / CONNOITRE / .1789. Jacques Necker served as Finance Minister under Louis XVI. Beginning this role in 1777, he took the unprecedented step of publishing the country's budget in 1781, resulting in his dismissal. The country's mounting financial crisis during the 1780's saw him recalled in 1788 only to be dismissed again on 11 July 1788 - adding fuel to the fire that led to the storming of the Bastille three days later. Necker was reinstated on 16 July. Facing resistance from the Constituent Assembly to his desired reforms, Necker resigned in September 1790. This medal is a somewhat primitively executed token-type piece celebrating Necker's return as Finance Minister in 1789. The signature "D" is not definitively associated with a particular engraver. Early 19th century speculation was that the piece was of English manufacture. Chestnut surfaces with lighter color on the high points. Interesting, very rare, and 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: $300.00 - $500.00