French Excellency Baccarat Coin

Description

French Excellency Baccarat Coin

Extremely Low mintage limit, only 500 pcs!!

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Baccarat was issued only 500 pcs worldwide!!!

***Embellished with red enamel***

In 2014, Monnaie de Paris is celebrating its 1150th anniversary. For this occasion, Monnaie de Paris is launching a new collection named “French Excellence”, highlighting highly traditional French art crafts. This series will be followed for many years. The aim is to highlight every year one of the art crafts that constitute the unique heritage of French luxury, by working with one major house belonging to Colbert Committee (that is celebrating it’s 60th anniversary this year), joining our know-how to create a unique coin. This new series begins with Baccarat who celebrates it’s 250th anniversary in 2014. Monnaie de Paris and Baccarat teams have worked on a concept mixing metal and crystal, promoting the high level of requirements of craftsmen from those two houses. Founded in 1764 in Lorraine (France) upon King Louis XV’s approval, the crystal factory hasn’t stopped spreading its know-how virtuosity, always at the forefront of progress and transmitted through the centuries by a craftsmen elite. Blowers, glass cutters, engravers and gilders of the Manufacture are expressing their talent to put it at the service of excellence.

The first order for a glass service by Louis XVIII will be quickly followed by new prestigious orders by Charles X, Louis-Philippe, Napoleon III and numerous State Chiefs. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, the Prince Aga Khan III, the Prince Rainier and the Princess Grace of Monaco and many other celebrities are seduced by the elegance and expression Baccarat’s know-how. These prestigious works of art have been rewarded during Paris Universal Expositions since 1855. Timeless, they keep exerting an incredible fascination and wonderment. From the luminary to tableware collections including the world of jewellery, Baccarat has been federating trends for 250 years, arising creations printed with contemporaneousness that become tomorrow’s classics, such as the pedestal table ordered in 1867 by Alexander II for the Tsarina, or the glasses set designed for the Tsar Nicholas II.

The Baccarat creations perpetuate elegance as much as know-how excellence. It is transmitted through the centuries by a craftsmen elite and reflects an incomparable heritage. It is practiced today by the manufacture’s teams among which there are 22 “Meilleur ouvrier de France”. The engraving, the cutting or the blowing techniques are among this know-how and allow Baccarat to transfigure its traditions in creations. Emblem of this manufacture, the red is incarnated in an octagonal tassel that marks every product coming out of the Baccarat workshops. The vermilion red symbolises the know-how where craftsmen are working the material at hot temperatures. Obtained for the first time in 1847, this red is the result of the gradual merging of clear cristal and 24 carat gold at 540 degree. Thanks to diffraction and to the glass artist’s Breath this intense vermilion shade comes true.

French Excellency Baccarat Coin –Combining metal and crystal, the series has been completed in close cooperation with both houses. A long work of graphical researches was conducted by Monnaie de Paris engravers to develop this series that represents the subtle patterns of to art pieces designed by Baccarat and the red color, emblem of the house.

Reverse:

The reverse emphasizes the know-how: on the background, the pattern represents the design of the glass created for Tsar Nicholas II (Alexander II’s grandson), and the rich drawing of its foot. A blower drawn in a contemporary way forms a glass that appears in hollow on the coin. The face value is inscribed on this unit, using an octagon to draw the figure 0. One of those figures is colored, as a reference to Baccarat’s distinctive red octagon.

Obverse:

The obverse of the coin presents the pattern of the Tsarina’s pedestal table’s tray. This table was ordered to Baccarat by Tsar Alexander II for his wife, Tsarina Marie Alexandrovna. It is part of a series composed of a pedestal table, a fountain and a candelabra. The RF symbol is placed in the centre of the coin; it is a reproduction of the republican monogram used on the presidency of the French Republic’s Baccarat service.

Packaging:

The silver coin comes in a black box, Monnaie de Paris’ logo is marked with silver plating. A numbered certificate of authenticity goes with this set.

Country France

Year 2014

Face Value 50 euro

Metal Silver

Fineness 950/1000

Weight 5oz 163,8g

Diameter 500 mm

Quality Proof Mintage 500

Certificate COA Yes

Presentation Case Yes