Need help describing a French Medal

zeebob

I was at a coin show this weekend. Saw some cool medals. Thought I'd buy a couple (like $25 each) and have some fun trying to photograph them and in the end figured I'd put them on Ebay and see if I can't come out about cash neutral.

So I took a few photos and had my fun. Now I want to list the things on Ebay, but realized that I don't have the foggiest idea how to describe them.

Here's the first one. Any help with description would be appreciated. All I remember is the guy I bought this from saying it was made at the Paris mint and he thought it was minted in the 1940-44 time frame (I would have thought the French mint would have been busy with other stuff besides making cool medals what with the Nazi's storming around and whatnot - but what the hell do I know...)

The medal is a nice high relief thing. I lengthened the exposure to get a slightly brighter/lighter image that shows more detail. But the trade off is that the medal looks a lighter shade of brown in the photo than in hand. It's beautiful bit of metal and work. Except that I'm an "anti-clutter" nut, I'm almost inclined to keep the thing.

Anyway, here's the photo...

lordmarcovan

How about:

"French medal. Pretty".






Seriously, tho', I gotta take Victoria to dance class, so there's no time.

laurentyvan

Could be described as a death medal I suppose, given the birthdate and date of death of the individual on the obverse. Part of a series of medals on french "Greats" I guess.
Are you sure it was minted in the 1940's though?

gecko109

Bob, no idea how to describe it, but you take some DAMN nice pictures!!!

zeebob

In a PM Coinsarefun suggested that this may have been struck in the 1970's. But the guy I bought it from thought it was a restrike from the early 1940's

Both Coinsarefun and the guy I bought thing from said to check out the edge for a date. The only thing on the edge of this medal is the word "BRONZE."

I may have to go with Rob's description - French Medal, Pretty.

I think I'll try for some better pics. Coinsarefun had a much nicer photo of a similar (identical?) medal. Maybe more diffuse light. I saw in Goodman's book (Numismatic Photography) that a long exposure in "ambient room lighting" can sometimes produce good results. I'll give it a try.

zeebob

Anne Louise Germaine Necker (Germaine de Stael) is the subject of this medal. Born in Paris in 1766. Passed in 1817. Apparently quiet an interesting character. The preceding link has about six pages of info on the woman. It's a pretty fun read. She was both famous and a bit infamous (depending on your point of view for the times). Neat.

So the question about "subject" is addressed. But what of the issue of strike date? Is this restrike from the 1970's? Did the Paris mint stamp out bronze medals during the war? How did the high relief get to be so darn high (struck or cast)? This is really a nicely crafted piece.

Still looking for more info...

MadMarty

Since it had BRONZE on the edge it's a restrike.

zeebob

Photographed it again this morning. I tried Goodman's technique of just using ambient room lighting from a diffused sky. Tried for a different perspective on the reflections as well.