100820 | MEXICO & FRANCE. Uniface bronze Mining Medal.

100820 | MEXICO & FRANCE. Uniface bronze Medal. Issued circa 1830. The Franco-Mexican Mining Company (38mm, 16.88 g).

 

COMPAGNIE FRANCO–MEXICAINE / MINES D'OR ET D'ARGENT, personifications of Mexico (male native holding overturned cornucopia) and France (female resting hand upon anchor), embracing one another; in background, hill with mining scene and miners to left; ship upon the sea to right / Blank. Edge: Plain.

 

Choice About Uncirculated. Rich brown surfaces; some light adjustment marks on the reverse. An extremely rare and unusual piece, likely a die trial for an unused type.

 

Though there does not appear to be much information available regarding this company, it would seem to have been a joint venture between interests in France and Mexico for the purpose of extracting precious metals from the latter in the first half of the 19th century. Given the uniface nature of this medal, its purpose could be as a trial strike for a medal, token, and/or seal to be used by the company.

 

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