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Great Britain - 1814

Napoléon à l`île Elbe - (Inseparable Friends) - 3rd

Obverse:

EMP. / OF RUSSIA / K. OF PRUSSIA / MARQUIS / WELLINGTON / PRINCE / SCHWARTZEN- / BERG

Legend:

WE CONQUOUR TO SET FREE

Exergue:

MARCH 31 . 1814

Size:

25 mm.

Reverse:

Napoleon sitting backwards upon an ass being led by the devil.

Legend:

INSEPERABLE FRIENDS

Exergue:

TO ELBA

Vern's Comments:

This is probably one of the most famous tokens of the Napoleonic Wars. Certainly after 20 years the English felt they had the right to gloat a little, or a lot. These tokens are often found holed for wear such as the other one on the site. This is an example of the double rare (RR) silvered copper.

Speaking of which, what could better point out the mindset differences between French and English than the choice of which side was the obverse, and which side the reverse?

Bramsen:

Bramsen - 1415
Napoléon à l'île Elbe.

INSEPERABLE FRIENDS. Un militaire, coiffé du chapeau à trois cornes, à cheval sur une âne, la figure du côté de la queue. A son cou est attachée une corde tenue par un diable à pied, qui mène l'âne par la bride.

Rev: Comme celui du N^o 1371.

Exergue: TO ELBA.

Médaille, 25 mm. - T. N. 61, 9.

d'Essling:

1464 - Arrivée de Napoléon à i'lle d'Elbe. (Droz)..
INSEPERABLE FRIENDS. Nap. assis sur un àne conduit par le diable
℞. Légende.
(TN. 61.9 - T. 1415) Cuiv. argenté 25 mm.

BHM:

N^o. 796 THE DEFEAT OF NAPOLEON
AE, AE silvered, Br. 25 by T. Kettle.

AR RRR; AE N; WM N.
AE N; AE silvered RR; Br. N.
AM; BM; BMAG; ML; UM.
Napoleon was sent to the island of Elba on the 20th April 1814, the farewell to his troops being performed at the Fontainebleau Palace.
A pension of £24,000 was given to Napoleon. See also note to No. 794.

British Historical Medals, p. 192

Milan:

826. NAPOLEONE - Esilio all’isola dell’Elba
D. INSEPARABLE FRIENDS Nel campo, al centro, figura caricaturale (Napoleone) seduta retroversa su asino andante a s.; dietro, diavolo andante a s., regge con la mano s., redini dell’asino e con la d., corda legata al collo della figura caricaturale. All’esergo: TO ELBA Contorno a grana di riso.	R. WE CONQUOUR TO SET FREE Nel campo, al centro, in otto righe: EMP. / OF RUSSIA / K.OF PRUSSIA / MARQUIS / WELLINGTON / PRINCE / SCHWARTZEN / BERG nel campo, in basso, al centro: MARCH.31.1814 Contorno a grana di riso.

Autore: KETTLE(?); Data: 1814
Caratteristiche tecniche: Bronzo: Ømm 25; 0: Coniazione
Condizione giuridica: Commune n. 241; N. Inv.: M.0.9.30767
Bibl.: Bramsen, n. 1415; Julius, nn. 2936-2937; Essling, n. 1464; Millin, ---; De Felissent, n. ---

Vern note: added d'Essling reference number.