SECOND FRENCH EMPIRE (1852-1870)
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE - REIGN OF NAPOLEON III (1852-1870) - HOUSE OF BONAPARTE
1870 GOLD AGRICULTURAL AWARD FOR THE CITY AND COMMUNE OF LIMOGES, DEPARTMENT OF HAUTE-VIENNE, REGION OF LIMOUSIN
CERTIFIED BY NGC MEDAL MINT STATE 62
OBV: LAUREATE BUST OF NAPOLEON III RIGHT; ARTIST NAME "BARRE" BENEATH TRUNCATION OF BUST.
REV: CENTER CIRCLE LEGEND "LIMOGES" AND DATE "1870" AT TOP; WREATH WITH INNER AND OUTER INSCRIPTIONS; FIVE-POINTED STAR AT BOTTOM.
EDGE: PLAIN WITH "BEE" MINTMARK (PARIS) AND "OR" (GOLD)
CHARLES LOUIS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE (1808-1873), WAS THE NEPHEW AND HEIR OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON I. HE HAS THE UNIQUE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF FRANCE UNDER THE SECOND REPUBLIC AND THE LAST FRENCH MONARCH. HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT BY POPULAR VOTE IN 1848, BECAME DICTATOR IN 1851, AND ON THE 48TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS UNCLE'S CORONATION BECAME, EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH.
THE SECOND FRENCH EMPIRE WAS OVERTHROWN THE YEAR THIS MEDAL WAS MADE, AFTER NAPOLEON III's CAPTURE AND SURRENDER AT SEDAN, IN 1870, DURING THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR (JULY 1870 TO MAY, 1871).
JEAN-AUGUSTE BARRE (1811-1896), FRENCH SCULPTOR AND MEDALLIST WAS WELL-KNOWN FOR HIS MINIATURE PORTRAITS NAPOLEON III, QUEEN VICTORIA AND OTHER FAMED CONTEMPORARIES.
CONTAINS 28 GRAMS .900 GOLD (0.8123 OZ AGW)
33 MM IN DIAMETER
PARIS MINT
