Egypt, Medal, Fuad I
Official Visit to Czechoslovakia - 1929 - Silver - Vernier
PLEASE NOTE: this collector's item is unique. We therefore cannot guarantee its availability over time and recommend that you do not delay too long in completing your purchase if you are interested.
Uniformed bust right of Fuad I wearing fez; name and titles in Arabic around.
Coat of arms of Kingdom of Egypt and Czechoslovakia above personifications of both nations holding hands, Egypt atop an egyptian style column, Czechoslovakia atop a corinthian style column, une branche feuillue décorant entre.
Magnificent masterpiece of the great medalists of Art Deco period, from the extremely rare silver Art Deco style serie "Egyptian Royal Tour ", this one for his visit to Czechoslovakia. These medals are now almost impossible to find, missing from standard references, and less than 5 examples appear to have been sold in auctions in the past years. It was engraved by Émile Séraphin Vernier (1852-1927), who was president of the Société des Artistes Décorateurs between 1905 and 1910, before working as an expert in antique jewellery in Egypt at the Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale in Cairo until his death.
VISITE OFFICIELLE / DE SA MAJESTE FOUAD I / ROI D'EGYPTE / A LA TCHECOSLOVAQUIE / XXVI-XXVIII JUIN / MCMXXIX
175 gr
Silver
Silver can fall into your pocket but also falls between copper and gold in group 11 of the periodic table. Three metals frequently used to mint coins. There are two good reasons for using silver: it is a precious metal and oxidizes little upon contact with air. Two advantages not to be taken for granted.
Here is thus a metal that won’t vanish into thin air.
It’s chemical symbol Ag is derived from the Latin word for silver (argentum), compare Ancient Greek ἄργυρος (árgyros). Silver has a white, shiny appearance and, to add a little bit of esotericism or polytheism to the mix, is traditionally dedicated to the Moon or the goddess Artemis (Diana to the Romans).
As a precious metal, just like gold, silver is used to mint coins with an intrinsic value, meaning their value is constituted by the material of which they are made. It should be noted that small quantities of other metals are frequently added to silver to make it harder, as it is naturally very malleable (you can’t have everything) and thus wears away rapidly.
The first silver coins probably date back to the end of the 7th century BC and were struck on the Greek island of Aegina. These little beauties can be recognized by the turtle featured on the reverse.
The patina of silver ranges from gray to black.
The millesimal fineness (or alloy) of a coin indicates the exact proportion (in parts per thousand) of silver included in the composition. We thus speak, for example, of 999‰ silver or 999 parts of silver per 1 part of other metals. This measure is important for investment coins such as bullion. In France, it was expressed in carats until 1995.
