Auction Catalogue

25 November 1998

Starting at 1:00 PM

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British and World Coins. Tokens and Historical Medals

The Arts Club  40 Dover St  London  W1S 4NP

Lot

№ 755

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25 November 1998

Hammer Price:
£150

Memorial to Marcel Renault Erected, 1903, a silver plaque by F.-C.-V. de Vernon, bust right, reverse Renault arriving at the finish of the Paris-Vienna race, 1902, in one of his cars, 58 x 42mm (PBE 976; BDM VI, 240). Light scuffing in fields, otherwise very fine and very rare; in original red fitted case (£80-100)

Following several fatal accidents in races on public roads in 1901, the French government banned motor racing but the Auto Club de France won a reprieve for a planned race from Paris to Vienna, via Switzerland, in 1902. A total of 137 competitors started the race, which was being led by Louis Renault (1877-1944) when his car was involved in a collision at Innsbruck. His brother Marcel Renault (1872-1903), took over the lead and won the race at an average of 38.9mph. Marcel came close to losing the race, however, when he arrived at the finish, which was on a trotting track outside Vienna, and in his excitement drove around the track the wrong way. He promptly retraced his steps and finished just ahead of the wealthy amateur Count Zborowski, driving a 60hp Mercedes.
Tragically, Marcel Renault was fatally injured in an 80mph crash at Couhé Verac in the 1903 Paris-Madrid race, which was stopped at Bordeaux, again with Louis Renault in the lead.
The Renault brothers started to make cars in 1898 and by 1900 were building 350 cars a year