Edito – Hurray for May!
Introduction
In many countries, when a public holiday falls on a Thursday, it is common for people to take the Friday as a vacation day. This practice is known in France as “Faire le pont”(building the bridge), as the vacation day bridges the gap to create a long weekend.
There are always four public holidays in France in May: May 1 (International Workers’ Day), May 8 (Victory in Europe Day), Ascension Day (40 days after Easter Sunday), and Whit Monday.
Collections
under the bridge
In this month of May, a little gray, but otherwise perfectly okay, we are meandering our way through history for a mix of collectible items which are favorites, topical, trending, or must-haves not to be missed!
Classified, as is only fitting, by category.
I – Coins of the world, spanning the globe
As May 21 is the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialog and Development (take a second to get your breath back), this category is particularly significant here: coins from all the countries of the world with their different cultures, respective histories, and riches engraved in metal...
Our experts’ favorite
In full neutrality, this Swiss 12 florin bronze trial struck by the Republic of Geneva in 1794. The obverse features the Genevan motto “Egalité, Liberté, Indépendance” (Liberty, Equality, Independence), while the reverse reads “XII florins, fruit du travail, l’an III de l’égalité” (XII florins, fruit of the labor, Year III of equality).
II – French coins, spanning history
And since we’re on the topic of history, it’s time to delve into the history of France: tumultuous, long, and rich. More than 2,000 years engraved in time via its plethora of coins.
Our experts’ favorite
This magnificent écu d’or au soleil not to be missed and dating from the 16th century, struck during the reign of the flamboyant and radiant Francis I, the golden age of the Renaissance in France.
III – Ancient coins, spanning time
Sticking with our theme of bridges (French: ponts), let’s take a trip back to the Kingdom of Pontus with its beautiful coins that are definitely worth taking some time to admire rather than passing over without stopping.
Our experts’ favorite
This ancient silver stater from the ancient city of Thebes (in Boeotia not Egypt this time), issued in the 4th century BC and in an exceptional state of conservation given its grand age. We bet its magnificent shield offered it great protection...
IV – Banknotes of the world, spanning art
Before embarking on your world tour of banknotes, please don’t forget to pay your passage:
From the US dollar to Europe via Asia and as far afield as New Zealand, banknotes are frequently veritable works of art in addition to being a convenient means of paying for everyday purchases. In this month, where International Workers’ Day is celebrated on the first in many countries, let’s remember that these banknotes are often the fruits of the labor and creativity of numerous artists and printers.
Our experts’ favorite
As we are talking about art, this progressive proof of a French 1,000 franc Athena banknote from 1951, never issued, is an absolute must-see for collectors for whom originality, aesthetic, and rarity are the magic words!
V – Medals and tokens, spanning the public holidays
For this category, let’s have some fun with the four public holidays mentioned in the introduction.
France Medal
Centenaire du 1er Mai, Hotel du Chatelet, 1990, AU(55-58), Bronze
For May 1, we’re keeping to face value with this lovely commemorative medal in bronze, issued naturally by... the French Ministry of Labor.
France Medal
Seconde Guerre Mondiale, Victoire du 8 Mai 1945, MS(63), Silvered
For May 8, we are going a little more serious, with this bronze medal by the French engraver Delamarre commemorating Victory in Europe.
France Medal
Ascension de Louis XVIII, Louis XVIII, History, 1795, Andrieu
For Ascension, instead of taking it literally, we decided on the ascension of Louis XVIII to a temporarily non-existent throne, as he was in exile at the time.
And finally, for Whit Monday, may we present this gilded copper medal issued by the Vatican with the Holy Trinity for its theme.
Our experts’ favorite
Tokens are all too often forgotten! Louis XV broke out the big guns with this silver token dating from 1673!
VI – Live auctions, spanning the months
Following on from “The Fundamental”, which ended on April 26 with a live auction on biddr.com, our second auction event is waiting just upstream.
You can find all the information on “The Dashing” here!
Image at the top: “The bridge over the sea” by the AI program Midjourney (2024) (All rights reserved)
