 Liberté Françoise Medal, 1792. Bell Metal silvered, 38.7mm, 3.6mm thick. By André Galle. Extremely Fine-About Uncirculated. Obv. Flowing-hair Liberty head l. FRENCH LIBERTY above, abbreviated date First Year of the French Republic below. Rev. An oak wreath encloses the dedication of the United Artists Meeting in Lyon to the governing National Convention with the somewhat inexact Pure Bell Metal Struck in 1792 below. This planchet is fully round and the strike is exceptionally full, the silvering somewhat uneven on the obverse.
The artists' purpose was to suggest coinage use for the tons of confiscated church bells seized in the new Republic's war on religion. At least three denominations of King Louis XVI's Copper coinage were actually struck from Bell Metal but this alloy was far from ''pure'' and proved difficult to strike because of its density and brittleness.
American collectors seek this scarce issue because its obverse was clearly inspired by Augustin Dupré's Libertas America Medal and the Flowing Hair Liberty was adapted for the new U.S. Cents and Half Cents of 1793. This is one of several medals that should be listed in any thorough revision of Betts.
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