1720 Medal Betts-145

Coin Details

Description

This 1720 medal, Betts-145, documents events in 1720, a year dominated by the Mississippi Bubble crisis but also significant for French colonial development. Despite the financial turmoil caused by John Law's scheme, French colonial administrators continued to develop Louisiana and other American possessions. The year 1720 saw continued construction at Louisbourg and ongoing French exploration and settlement in the Mississippi Valley. This medal captures the paradox of 1720: even as France's colonial financing scheme collapsed in spectacular fashion, the physical development of France's American empire continued, driven by administrators and colonists on the ground who were largely insulated from the financial crisis engulfing Paris. The dissemination of commemorative medals through diplomatic channels, military distribution, and commercial sale created a network of information about New World events that complemented printed news and official correspondence.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Medal from the pivotal year of 1720.

Cross References

Betts-145