FRENCH REPUBLIC
LEON GAMBETTA - 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH
1984 FRANCE PLATINUM 10 FRANCS "PIEFORT"
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 68 ULTRA CAMEO
EXTREMELY RARE - ONLY 14 MINTED!
OBV: DENOMINATION SUPERIMPOSED OVER FIVE BANNERS FLUTTERING WITH A HOT AIR BALLOON ALOFT UPPER LEFT; LEGEND “FRATERNITE EGALITE LIBERTE” UPPER RIGHT; DATE BELOW FLANKED BY CONRUCOMIA PRIVY MARKS.
REV: PORTRAIT BUST OF GAMBETTA LEFT WITH NAME AND ANNIVERSARY DATES ALONG EDGE LEFT.
PIEDFORT DOUBLE THICK COIN
KM#P750
LÉON GAMBETTA (1838-1832) WAS A FRENCH STATESMAN WHO WAS A MAJOR POLITICAL FIGURE DURING AND AFTER THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR.
GAMBETTA GAINED FAME WHEN HE VOCALLY OPPOSED THE COUP DE’ÉTAT OF 1851, THE DISSOLUTION OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BY LOUIS BONAPARTE (PRESIDENT OF FRANCE WHO WOULD BECOME NAPOLEON III), AND THE SUBSEQUENT ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SECOND FRENCH EMPIRE.
HE WAS A DEFENDER OF THE LOWER CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE, AND WHEN NAPOLEON III WAS CAPTURED AT SEDAN, GAMBETTA PROCLAIMED THE DEPOSTITION OF THE EMPEROR AND THE ESTABLISHMENT (OR RE-ESTABLISHMENT) OF THE REPUBLIC. HE HELPED ORGANIZE A GALLANT BUT FUTILE RESISTANCE AGAINST THE PRUSSIANS, LEAVING PARIS FOR TOURS IN A HOT AIR BALLOON IN OCTOBER OF 1870 TO TAKE UP THE REIGNS AS MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR AND OF WAR.
AFTER THE WAR, HE RETURNED TO THE POLITICAL STAGE. HE HELPED TO PURSUADE EXTREME PARTISANS TO ACCEPT A MODERATE REPUBLIC, AND FENDED OFF THE USURPATION OF THE GOVERNMENT BY THE ADVISORS OF PRESIDENT MARSHAL MAcMAHON.
HIS DEATH AT 44 WAS SEEN AS A GREAT LOSS OF SOMEONE WHOSE CAREER SHOWED CONTINUED PROMISE, SOMEONE POSSESSED OF ABILITIES OF TRUE STATESMANSHIP, AND OF CONCEPTS THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED SHAPE THE FUTURE OF HIS NATION. HIS PUBLIC FUNERAL IN 1883 SHOWED ONE OF THE MOST OVERWHELMING DISPLAYS OF NATIONAL SENTIMENT EVER TO BE SHOWN IN FRANCE.
CONTAINS 46.65 GRAMS OF 995 PLATINUM (1.57 OZ APW)
26 MM IN DIAMETER
EXTREMELY RARE - ONLY 14 MINTED!
ENGRAVED BY EMILE ROUSSEAU
MONNAIE DE PARIS
