20 Centimes - Crayon Mengin (Paris) ND (1850-1864) front 20 Centimes - Crayon Mengin (Paris) ND (1850-1864) back
20 Centimes - Crayon Mengin (Paris) ND (1850-1864) photo
© DB-Monnaie - pimousse124.free.fr (CC BY-NC-SA)

20 Centimes - Crayon Mengin Paris ND

 
Brass 3.13 g 23.6 mm
Description
Location
France
Type
Medals › Advertising medallions
Years
1850-1864
Value
20 Centimes (0.20)
Composition
Brass
Weight
3.13 g
Diameter
23.6 mm
Thickness
0.9 mm
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
Orientation
Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized
Yes
Updated
2024-11-12
References
Numista
N#34637
Rarity index
74%

Reverse

Script: Latin

Lettering:
CRAYON MENGIN
20 Cs-
LE
CRAYON
Fg St MARTIN,25

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.

http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php?topic=7603.0