Since 2020,
Monnaie de Paris has been retracing the History of American Independence
through a collection of coins. The designs of the coins are directly inspired
by historical products published by Monnaie de Paris: antique medals from our
archives. This sub-theme is part of the Great Dates of Humanity theme, which
began in 2019 with the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the First Step on the Moon and
D-Day.
In 2020,
Monnaie de Paris started the series “History of American Independence"
with the arrival of La Fayette in Boston. Washington Before Boston followed in
2021, then the Great Seal of the USA in 2022 and the Libertas Americana medal
in 2023 for its 240th anniversary. This year, it's the Battle of Cowpens medal
that will be honoured.
The Battle
of Cowpens, in South Carolina, took place on January 17th, 1781. It was a
crushing victory for the armed forces led by General Daniel Morgan against the
British, led by Banastre Tarleton, resulting in the capture, disappearance, or death of around 75% of the
British forces.
This first
military success, which led to victory at Yorktown and to the Declaration of
Independence, was the subject of three commemorative medals decided by Congress: a gold one awarded to General
Morgan, and two silver ones awarded to William Washington, commander of the
cavalry, and John Eagar Howard, commander of the infantry. They were decided
during the time when Benjamin Franklin and D. Humphrey were negotiating in
Paris the alliance with France that would lead to the Treaty of Paris signed in
September 1783.
The obverse,
illustrating Daniel Morgan's
Victory, depicts him full-length, about to be crowned by an Indian queen, an
allegory of America; a female figure wearing a short breastplate and a
feathered headdress. The acronym RF and the yeardate were added to the
obverse.
The reverse
shows the General-in-Chief leading the charge on horseback, followed by his
troops on foot and overthrowing the fleeing English adversary. It is signed by
the engraver Augustin Dupré, who was the general engraver of Monnaie de Paris
at the time. The face value and hallmarks were added to the reverse.
