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France - 1791

Louis XVI - Lion variant

Obverse:

LVD . XVI . D . G . FR ET NAV REX

Size:

20 mm.

Reverse:

A lion lying down, its head twisted to the right.

Legend:

IOH . CHRIST . REICH.

Exergue:

RE . PF(?) [probable]

Vern's Comments:

This is probably a variant of Hennin 278. Iohann Christian Reich worked as a medallist in Furth from 1758 to 1814 and this could therefore date any time after 1774 when Louis ascended to the throne. But the similarity to the one listed is quite strong so I'm fairly confident dating this piece to 1791. It is cruder work than Reich would normally produced so I'm speculating that it was done as a practise piece by an apprentice in his shop. It's also three millimeters larger than the "official" versions.

Fauver says in Nuremburg and Nuremberg Style Jetons that this particular Reich was the one most hated by the members of the Nuremberg guild. (p. 92, 0490/4955) Forrer notes that he probably didn't begin working independently until around 1770-1771.

Hennin:

N^o. 278. Pl. 26.

31 Décembre 1791.

Jeton.

Lud. XVI.
R. Reich. Re. pf. Lion.

LUD. XVI D. G. FR. REX. (Ludovicus decimus-sextus Dei gratiâ Franciœ Rex)(Louis seize par la grâce de Dieu Roi de France) Tête de Louis XVI à droite.

Lion à droite. Exergue: RE. PF. (Rechen pfennig) (Jeton). [17^m].

Voyez l'article de la pièce N^o. 231.
Reich est le nom du fabricant de ce jeton.

Louis XVI - Lion variant