Owner Comments:
I have been very fortunate over the last several years to acquire a fair number of pieces from the world-class collection formed by Richard Margolis. Although the bulk of my efforts focused on the larger 5 sol pieces, I am very glad that I haphazardly won this example. Admittedly, I did not intend to purchase any of the 2 sol coins as they tend to be readily available, and the 5 sols offered were among the nicest I had seen of the rarest varieties. Much to my surprise, this coin was selling cheap and I placed a last-second bid that was successful. I didn’t think much of it as the victory was overshadowed by others, but my perspective quickly shifted once I got to view this coin in my hand. The pictures simply do not do this coin justice. It has it all: color, luster, a strong strike, and a slightly blue tone to the reverse.
Obverse: A sun with radiating rays shines down on a seated female allegorical figure of liberty draped in robes appears left. She is proudly perched on what appears to be a square slab of stone. Her right arm is extended, holding a pike with a liberty cap resting at its tip. Her left arm rests on a tablet inscribed
DROITS DE L’HOMME ARTIC V. in five lines. This seems to be a clear nod to the Declaration of the Rights of Man. In the background behind the tablet is a pillar with horizontal facets. The top of this pillar is cut to create a level surface where a large rooster is perched facing left with its right leg raised. The foreground of the main device has curved edges that create space between it and the beaded border. The bottom is straight, which creates a semi-circular exergue containing the legend
L’AN III DE LA LIBERTÉ. in two lines. On later varieties, a period appears after the year of liberty (e.g., IV.). The main legend tightly hugs the beaded border but is divided between liberty. It reads
LIBERTE SOUS LA LOI. Note that the accent is missing from the “E” on this earlier version.
Reverse: The entire reverse design is contained within a toothed border. Tightly hugging this border appears the legend
MONNERON FRERES NEGOCIANS A PARIS., which is separated from the interior legend by an inner raised ring. Within the inner ring appears the legend
MEDAILLE DE CONFIANCE DE DEUX SOLS A ECHANGER CONTRE DES ASSIGNATS DE 50L ETAUDESSUS 1791 in seven lines. There is an
“L” shaped symbol in superscript to the “50”, but I was unable to include that above.
Edge: BON POUR BORD MARSEIL LYON ROUEN . NANT ET STRASB (incuse)
Notes: This particular example was previously part of the Eklund collection. Margolis was careful to preserve Eklund's original ticket with his own. Margolis provides additional information in a note, which reads:
“Stop nearer inner circle than denticles “spread” inner rev. legend beautifully struck (on a hand press!). Margolis is certainly correct in his statement that the reverse legend is very well struck. It is unusual to find examples of the L’AN III type with a strong strike.