 John Law. Les Richesses des France, 1720. B.130, B.III. Unsigned. Silver. 32.2 mm. 168.2 gns. Obverse: Law's bank (Banco) as a windmill supported on trade and money, its sails powered by a stream of Louis d'ors, creates paper money and shares. C. Wyllys Betts has the other two sails creating coins and objets de virtu whereas Benjamin has these drawn into the sails. Date 1720 in exergue. Reverse: Seven line inscription praising Law for making wealth from interest, the legend around exhorting the reader to see the great things Law does for France (the die of B.126). Date in chronogram 1720. C. Wyllys had not seen an example and relied on Alexi's account of it. Benjamin owned the piece in silver and tin. C. Wyllys' description of the windmill appears to accord best with the types which are laudatory once the reverse inscription is correctly translated; Benajmin's applies only to the final months of Law's scheme and actually contradicts the meaning of the reverse inscription as he gives it.
Ex Wayte Raymond Estate.
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