(1733) Gilt Bronze Medal Betts-168, Company of the Indies

Coin Details

Description

Betts-168 records the French Compagnie des Indes (Company of the Indies), which held monopoly trading rights in France's colonial empire. This gilt bronze version adds an elegant gold-toned surface to the design. The Company of the Indies, reorganized by John Law in 1719, controlled trade with Louisiana, Canada, the West Indies, Africa, and the East Indies, making it one of the most powerful commercial enterprises in the world. The dated 1733 places this medal during a period of relative stability for the company, after the chaos of the Mississippi Bubble (1720) but before the company's eventual decline. The obverse typically bears a royal portrait or company emblem, while the reverse depicts allegorical scenes of commerce and colonial prosperity. Gilt bronze strikings were presentation pieces, more luxurious than plain bronze and intended for company directors, royal officials, or distinguished visitors who merited a medal finer than standard issue but less costly than silver or gold.

Rarity Notes

Gilt bronze variant, scarce. Company of the Indies medals are sought by French colonial and economic history collectors.

Cross References

Betts-168; PCGS #960893