103355 | FRANCE. Paris International Expo bronze Award Medal.

103355  |  FRANCE. Paris International Expo bronze Award Medal. Issued 1900 as the official prize [awarded to É. Bauer] (63mm, 102.76 g, 12h). By Jules-Clément Chaplain at the Paris mint.

 

REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE, bust of Marianne right, wearing oak wreath; oak tree to the left; cityscape of Paris in the background to right // EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE INTERNATIONALE, Victory flying left, with head upturned to the right, holding a wreath and palm frond, and bearing victor, holding a torch, upon her back; view of the expo hall in the background; in exergue, cartouche with "É. BAUER" embossed in one line. Edge: «cornucopia» BRONZE.

 

Maier 79; Gadoury p. 47, 4.(b); Button 29; Wurzbach 7193. Choice Mint State. Tan-brown surfaces, with a great matte nature. Includes original box of issue—rather rare as such. Compare to similar examples that recently sold for $960 and $480.

 

Visited by more than 50 million visitors, the 1900 Paris World's Fair, styled in French as the Exposition Universelle, ran from 14 April to 12 November, occurring in conjunction with the games of the II Olympiad—also held in Paris. The theme of the expo was a celebration of the century that was and the century that would be. Some of the technological advancements that were exhibited included the diesel engine, electric cars, talking films, and dry cell batteries, with Art Nouveau given a spotlight and being introduced to the world.

 

It is difficult to know to whom this particular medal was awarded, but the "É. Bauer" referenced may in fact be Dr. Étienne Bauer, who was very likely in Paris at the time of the exposition. Bauer was involved in the topic of international labor, with a conference on this being called to meet at Paris during the exposition. The following year, the "Association internationale pour la protection légale des travailleurs," or International Association for Labor Legislation, was formed in Basel, and was headed by Bauer.

 

About this particular design, Nicolas Maier mentions that Chaplain received a fee of some 10,000 francs and that "...in addition, Chaplain undertook to produce additional dies for the obverse and reverse of the medal at the price of 400 francs per piece. A total of 36 striking dies were afterwards supplied, 17 for the obverse and 19 for the reverse."

 

Upload: 16 April 2026.