Napoleon once said "If you want to eat poorly eat with Lebrun, if you want to eat well eat with Cambaceres, if you want to eat quickly, eat with me." He had an Empire to run. This beautiful large silver medal is remarkable for its depiction of Cambaceres, a fascinating figure of the epoch. He was an open, even flamboyant homosexual, which didn't seem to bother anyone of consequence. He had a brilliant legal mind that helped Napoleon establish many of the institutions that have lasted down to this day. Napoleon said of him that "if the entire Napoleonic Code were to be lost, it would still exist inside Cambaceres' head.

Unique in Gold in commerce.

One of only 16 minted in gold and an extraordinary relic of the Napoleonic Wars fought in Egypt to deprive Great Britain of the foreign capital that sustained the British Emprire at this time.

On the 30th of December (3 nivose) Napoleon visits Boulogne and Havre de Grace to inspect the fleet and visit the new harbors at Ambleteuse and Wimereux. Unlisted and the only example in coin archives.

Unlisted and extremely rare. The only example in coin archives.

"This medal (in gold) was presented, one to Napoleon and one to Josephine, as they sat on their thrones at the Hotel de Ville, by the Marechal Gouverneur "M" (who most probably would have been the Marechal Joachim Murat who was married to Napoleon's sister.) Then Napoleon and Josephine descended to cheers of "Vive L' Empereur, Vive L'Imperatrice" and retired to their respective "apartments" where they received dignitaries into the evening."

As there are more than two known in gold, a few other dignitaries must have managed to obtain one (Perhaps Murat, Denon and/or Joseph and Louis Bonaparte), but it is certain that this extremely rare medal is more than a commemorative - it is a relic of one of history's most significant ceremonies. Extremely Rare, missing from the major references.

"This medal in silver was handed out on the 18th of Frimaire by Napoleon himself, while sitting on his throne, as he received 20 presidents of the colleges of Arts and Sciences and then the presidents of the Departments who were invited by sealed letters. Napoleon spent a long time in conversation with each recipient."

TOP POP - rare and of great historical interest, with a lovely patina. 

Very Rare, from a mintage of 200 of these were made with this portrait by J.P. Droz for captains and colonels. True to form, Napoleon reserved the gold for the Military and awarded silver to the political and academic classes. Flashy prooflike surfaces grace a firm bold strike. Light handling marks account for the grade but the medal in hand is a stunner.

Very Rare. Only 200 of these made in this large size with engravin gs by Andrieu were awarded to the elite of Napoleon's military: Brigadier and Major Generals. Certainly amongst the finest known of this very rare large size coronation medal in gold. The second highest graded across both services.

TOP POP, by far the finest of only two to appear in commerce in the last 20 years.

The Salon of Paris was the official art exhibition of the French Academy of Fine Arts, and as such its influence in the world of painting - and fine arts in general - was enormous.  In 1808 some of the artists in competition were Ingres, David, Poussin, Rubens, Delacroix.  The Gold Medal was won by Flemish Painter Francois Joseph Kineson for his portraits of the Imperial Family.  His paintings of the important figures of the Napoleonic era still hang in all the great museums of the world

Of the very few surviving Gold Awards during the reign of Napoleon this is the only one that has received a numerical grade by the NGC or PCGS.  

As such, of the highest rarity. And of great historical interest.

TOP POP

Very Rare: The only example in gold in coin archives. An attractive portrait of Hippocrates by one of Napoleon's principle portraitists. TOP POP (the only one graded)

500 Gold medals were issued, only 200 in this larger size by Andrieu, and far rarer in commerce than the smaller size by Brenet. If the issue was consistent with the coronation medal, Gold medals would have been reserved for the highest ranks of the military. Particularly attractive with a prooflike obverse. Really appears to be a bold mint state, but perhaps once lightly wiped.

Three superb portraits by Napoleon's most talented engraver, Bertrand Andrieu. A very rare medal in gold, only a handful have reached auction in the last 20 years and this is by far the finest of Napoleon's most poignant and personal issue.

Extremely rare large gold medal with an excellent high relief portrait of Louis XVIII

Reserved for the head of the departments which numbered 130 - which suggests the mintage for this large gold medal

Henriquetta Lucquin Girouard (1819-1866) was a Franco-Portuguese romantic painter. A student of Nicolas Gosse, she exhibited numerous portraits and historical paintings at the Salon from 1841 to 1865.

The hallmark "Oil lamp" is on the edge, which was used in the Monnaie de Paris between March 30, 1832 and October 21, 1841: therefor an original striking in gold. With two very attractive portraits.

Richard and Joseph Beck formed an optical manufacturing company in Britain in 1843, funded by their uncle, physicist JJ lister who invented the compound lense. Originally named "Smith and Beck," and later renamed "R & J Beck" circa 1867. Based in London, they produced a wide array of the finest optical products, including microscopes, telescopes, and camera lenses