20 Centimes - Crayon Mengin (Paris) ND
| Brass | 3.45 g | 23.8 mm |
| Location | France |
|---|---|
| Type | Medals › Advertising medallions |
| Value | 20 Centimes (0.20) |
| Composition | Brass |
| Weight | 3.45 g |
| Diameter | 23.8 mm |
| Thickness | 1.3 mm |
| Shape | Hexadecagonal (16-sided) |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-11-12 |
| Numista | N#123330 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 82% |
Reverse
Name and address of the Company, and value of the token.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
CRAYON MENGIN
20 Cs-
LE
CRAYON
Fg St MARTIN 25
Unabridged legend:
20 centimes
Faubourg Saint Martin
Edge
Plain
Comment
Mengin lived in Paris where he was a street entertainer in the mid 1800's.He dressed as a Roman soldier and sold special pencils while performing magic tricks.
He is mentioned in several books of the period
The address, 25 Rue du Faubourg Saint Martin, now houses the restaurant "Chez Arthur". Mengin was rumoured to be rich, but on his death in 1864, his home was reported to be "clean, but of extreme simplicity."
Mengin sold gold-coloured pencils and included a medal of this kind (vaguely looking like a Louis d'or) with each pencil sold. There are several types of this advertising medal, with a more or less crude design.
I take this comment and Links of the coins from Numista catalog, from the token with little bit different obverse (letter A in sou rounding lettering is on the right side on my token). Reverse is the same. Technical data are also little bit diferent.
