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FRANCE, First Republic. Consulat. Napoléon Bonaparte. Premier Consul, 1799-1804. AR “Essai de 5 Francs” (37mm, 26.06 g, 6h). By Tiolier. Dated L’An 10 (AD 1802). BONAPARTE PREMIER CONSUL, bare head right / Engraved CONCOURS MONÉTAIRE • AN X •, 5/ FRANCS. Edge engraved: (star) DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Once polished, now retoning, a few light scratches. Good VF. An extremely rare satirical piece related to the complexities of mint politics in the Consulate.
On 20 Ventose, year 11 (11 March 1803), the administration informed the Hotel de Monnaies that Napoléon, his wife, and the Minister of Finance would visit the premises on the following day, 21 Ventose (12 March). They also requested that sufficient silver and materials be provided to the engraver Tiolier, so that he could prepare and strike a medal in the presence of the First Consul. The medal was a simple design bearing a plain bust of Napoléon on the obverse and a commemorative legend on the reverse. On the present example, however, the reverse was re-engraved to refer to a concours monétaire in year 10. However, such a function was not held until the following year.
This enigmatic reverse must be related to the removal of the famous Augustin Dupré, the former chief engraver of France. Dupré was not present at Napoléon’s 21 Ventose visit, as he was evidently ill with an eye infection, though he had intended to use that opportunity to impress and ingratiate himself to the First Consul. The chief engraver’s former association with the Jacobins had called his loyalty to the new regime into question. In fact, rumors even circulated that Dupré was such a staunch republican that he had refused to engrave a coin with a bust of Napoléon, a theory dispelled in letters by Dupré himself.
Tiolier, however, was a clear favorite of the First Consul, and had been awarded the contract for engraving new coinage dies. On 12 Germinal (2 April), Dupré was requested to provide any outstanding dies or equipment to Tiolier, though he dragged his feet, claiming that while some did belong to the mint, others were his personal property. Finally, on 29 Germinal (19 April), Dupré was provided with an itemized list of dies, punches, and material to be sent, and in the same letter was officially dismissed from his post as chief engraver.
This unique piece began its life as a commemorative of Napoléon’s tour of the Hotel des Monnaies on 21 Ventose, year 11. It was then re-engraved, either by Dupré himself or by one of his allies, to refer to a concours monétaire in year 10. This imaginary concours would refer to the machinations of Napoléon and Tiolier, making the new appointment a done deal before artistic or technical skill was even considered.
The final winners of all Triton XXVI lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 10-11 January 2023.
Triton XXVI – Session Four – Lots 991-1315 will be held Wednesday afternoon, 11 January 2023 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.
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