British and World Coins. Tokens and Historical Medals

France, Death of Auguste Barye, 1876, a bronze medal by H.A.J. Patey, bust three-quarters left, reverse lion subduing serpent, 68mm (PBE 659; CGMP p.299; Coll. R. Marx 407; BDM IV, 423; cf. Kjellberg, p.66; cf. BDW 18, 391). Very fine or better, scarce (£60-80)

Auguste Louis Barye (1795-1875), sculptor, painter and medallist; the reverse design is of Barye’s famous work, Le lion et le serpent, executed in 1832, now in the Tuileries Gardens, Paris. Confusingly, the standard works are at variance as to when Patey, the artist, executed this medal; the catalogue of the Monnaie states the date of issue as 1876, the year after Barye’s death and when Patey himself was but 21 years old. Forrer, who knew Patey, gives the date as 1894. Strikings are known with the cornucopia edge stamp, indicating a post-1880 issue