Help to identify a French token please: AUX AMIS DES ARTS ET DE L’INDUSTRIE.

  Hello, exonumia Fans! 

 This French token is giving me some trouble, especially regarding its type. Of course, I have run it through a Numista image search, which resulted in nothing helpful, and also a Google image search, in which I found the following information on the French auction site, CGB Numismatics, Paris. I had to translate the French and have added to it. The photos are my own.
 

 ENGRAVER - BESSAIGNET (not signed)


 Date: ND


 Metal: Brass


 Diameter: 22 mm


 Weight: approx. 3.5 g.

 Orientation of dies: 12 h.
 (medal alignment)

 Edge: Smooth


 Rarity: R1 (French rating meaning common - though it doesn't seem that common to me)



 Obverse: Legend: AUX AMIS DES ARTS ET DE L’INDUSTRIE. (TO FRIENDS OF THE ARTS AND INDUSTRY.)


 Obverse description: Allegory of a muse leaning on a column with a laurel crown in her hand. Legend around. In exergue is written COQUARDON .F.

 

 Reverse: Legend: GALERIE MONTPENSIER 15 PALAIS ROYAL BESSAIGNET GRAVEUR PARIS (MONTPENSIER GALLERY 15 PALAIS ROYAL BESSAIGNET ENGRAVER PARIS)


 Commentary: We classify this token as being produced at the Paris Mint because the tokens engraved by Bessaignet were most often struck at the Paris Mint.



 Historical background: MONNAIE DE PARIS (PARIS MINT)
(16th-18th centuries) A lengthy history of the Monnaie de Paris is then given which, while interesting, has little relevance here…
 

 Anything that anyone can tell me about this fascinating jetton/token will be much appreciated. A valuation is not important. It cost me the grand sum of 1.50 NZD.
 Many thanks, AY

Bonjour,

Y a t’il des poinçons ou inscriptions sur la tranche de la médaille?

Période estimée 1800-1836. 
Il s’agit d’un jeton /médaille publicitaire d’époque. Le graveur indique l’adresse de sa boutique à Paris. 
https://quartier-richelieu.inha.fr/iconographie/qr12c7a6c88f35f4207bce5607e54fc5ce1

 « Bessaignet »:

https://www.boutonsweb.fr/collectionboutons/Marques.html

https://www.furet.com/media/pdf/feuilletage/9/7/8/2/0/1/1/9/9782011915023.pdf

Bonjour, Polette! Thank you for the valuable information and the identification as to type; it is a jeton put out by the engraver Bessaignet to advertise his business.

 In answer to your question, the edge is smooth without any markings. There are no signatures or hallmarks anywhere on this piece.

 Who might be Coquardon .F., if you know, please? Could he perhaps be an engraver or designer in the employ of Bessaignet?

 Also, in your opinion, is this jeton R1 in scarcity?

 Thanks, again, and all the best, Arthur Yapp

 I will leave this topic open for a little while longer…

 Usually on medals the F after the surname means Facit which 

is Latin for does, so Coquardon.F. is Coquardon Facit = ‘Coquardon made me'.  

 An example I own, made by Schega 

N#151396 

 All that said, the F still could be an initial, a 1/26 chance anyway. 

 There are two medals on here 

https://www.coinarchives.com/w/results.php?search=Coquardon&s=0&upcoming=0&results=100 

one dated 1804 and the other 1830 both with Coquardon F on them. 

 Just to show other examples of his work. 

 Similarly, on here are 68 lovely results > 

https://www.cgbfr.com/ 

just go the Search at the top, choose just ‘Exact wording’, 

enter Coquardon then press Enter on your computer. 

The page will load like this > 

Bonjour,

En creusant les recherches on peut voir que:

Jean-François COQUARDON (1777-1836) a été graveur à la même adresse: 15 galerie Montpensier, Palais Royal à Paris, il avait frappé cette médaille:

Et que par la suite, un mois avant sa mort en août 1836, Isidore BESSAIGNET (1821-1885) lui a succédé:

BESSAIGNET a sans doute conservé les mêmes coins de médailles en changeant simplement son nom.

La période de frappe de votre médaille (version BESSAIGNET) doit donc être à minima 1836.

Pour ce qui est de la rareté c'est difficile à dire dans la mesure où on ne connaît pas le tirage total, il n'y a pas non plus de poinçon qui prouve que celle-ci ai bien été frappée par la Monnaie de Paris. 

Firstly, hello, ZacUK! I did not know the meaning of the ‘F’, thinking it was an initial which, okay, it could have been, but Polette points out that his name is Jean-François, which would make an initial J.F. If it is standard Latin, then we know that you are correct with the 'F.' meaning Facit (at 49, I am far too young to have been having Latin lessons at school in NZ).

 The 68 results from CGB Numismatics, where I got hold of my initial information, held me fascinated - I love that sort of thing, Masonic medals and whatnot. So thanks, mate, I've learnt something new and gained a new resource - I did not know that the site would allow me to do that. Cheers, AY

 Bonjour, Polette!

 Thank you for your detailed information. This is where history meets numismatics, and I have always loved history. Indeed, I suppose it is an essential tool for the numismatist. So, if I follow you correctly (and I regret that I could not read the sources in French), Coquardon and Bessaignet were engravers, both residing at (?) or at least working at 15 galerie Montpensier, Palais Royal in Paris. In 1836 at the age of 59, Coquardon died, having one month earlier appointed his 15-year-old junior, Bessaignet as his successor. This suggests to me that Bessaignet was probably the apprentice of Coquardon.
 Bessaignet is no fool, and keeps the same ‘medal corners’ (this is a term I’ve not heard of, and could not find, but the context would suggest it is what a planchet is to a coin), reusing them, having changed his name.
 I agree that without the total mintage or a hallmark, it is hard to prove rarity, but CGB Numismatics states that it is their belief these jetons were minted at the Monnaie de Paris, as this is where most of Bessaignet’s material was minted. This jeton must be from at least 1836.

 Thank you, Polette, for your fascinating information. I’m much obliged.

 Best wishes, AY

Oh, one more question. Would this jeton have had any value to the possessor (perhaps a discount), or is it solely a ‘business card’?

Also, here are some examples of Bessaignet's work from the Numista Catalogue:

N#96007

N#349122

N#426013

 There is also an S. Bessaignet at work, so these are just the ones with I. Bessaignet or simply Bessaignet. You decide.

 Cheers, AY