British based Pobjoy Mint have announced their latest coin and despite dabbling with childrens character Paddington Bear a short while ago, they’ve gone back to a popular theme for them, history. Recent coins have featured the Sphinx and Sir Winston Churchill, and this latest issue lies inbetween those with the nineteenth century egomaniacal French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Available in one-ounce silver format from Pobjoy, and one-ounce gold exclusively from GovMint in the US, the design is based on the famous  painting of the man, Napoleon Crossing the Alps,  by Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825), a man considered the pre-eminent artist of his day. Also known as Napoleon at the Saint-Bernard Pass or Bonaparte Crossing the Alps, there were a series of five oil on canvas paintings initially commissioned by the King of Spain and painted between 1801 and 1805. The composition shows a strongly idealized view of the real crossing that Napoleon and his army made across the Alps through the Great St. Bernard Pass in May 1800. All five are still in museums today.

The coin is issued for Ascension Island, an extremely remote British Overseas Territory, made famous in 1982 as an advanced staging post for British Forces in the Falkands War against the Argentines. With a population of less than a thousand, it’s fair to say that the coin wouldn’t sell out there if by some miracle it ever went on sale on the island.

Struck in the high-relief style that has gained in popularity over the last few years, the design has a solid foundation and will likely look great in the hand. The images really don’t do the coin justice and we will reach out for some better ones if they have them. The coin isn’t up on the Pobjoy or GovMint sites yet, so we don’t have confirmed prices, but they’ll be up soon enough.

Forgot to note, the gold images are ones we coloured from silver to give you an idea of what they look like. We’re still awaiting official ones, so bare that in mind.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

Pobjoy Mint is delighted to announce the release of a new High Relief coin on behalf of Ascension Island featuring Napoleon Bonaparte in the year that marks the Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo.

The image on the coin is based a well-known portrait of Napoleon seated upon a rearing horse and is produced in striking High Relief. The obverse of the coin carries an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.

Available in Proof Fine Silver and Proof Fine Gold, both produced in High Relief, each coin is struck four times to display finely sculpted frosted detail contrasting with mirror brilliant background. The Proof High Relief Gold version is being marketed exclusively by Asset Marketing Services, LLC in the United States.

Napoleon Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon I, was a French military leader and emperor who conquered much of Europe in the early 19th Century. Born on the island of Corsica, Napoleon rose quickly through the military ranks during the French Revolution.

After seizing political power in France in 1799, he crowned himself Emperor in 1804. Ambitious, shrewd and a skilled military strategist, he successfully waged war against various coalitions of European nations and expanded his empire. However, after a disastrous French invasion of Russia in 1812, Napoleon abdicated the throne two years later and was exiled to the island of Elba.

In February 1815, after less than a year in exile, Napoleon escaped Elba and sailed

to France with a group of supporters. In March he returned to Paris where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. Louis XVIII fled and Napoleon began what became known as his Hundred Days campaign. Upon his return to France, a coalition of allies (Austrians, British, Prussians and Russians), who considered the French Emperor an enemy began to prepare for war. Napoleon raised a new army and planned to strike before the allies could launch a united attack against him.

In June 1815, Napoleon’s forces invaded Belgium, where British and Prussian troops were station. Napoleon’s troops defeated the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny but two days later, on 18th June 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, the French were crushed by the British with the assistance from the Prussians. On 22nd June 1815 Napoleon was once again forced to abdicate.

In October 1815, Napoleon was exiled to the remote, British-held island of St Helena (which at the time was part of the British Overseas Territory which included Ascension Island).

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SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION  COMPOSITION WEIGHT DIMENSIONS FINISH MINTAGE BOX / COA
1 CROWN 0.999 SILVER  31.103 g 38.60 mm PROOF  1,815 T.B.C. (LIKELY)
1 CROWN 0.999 SILVER  31.103 g 32.70 mm PROOF  500 T.B.C. (LIKELY)