FRANCE. Michelangelo, 1475-1564. Medal (Silver, 56 mm, 79.84 g, 12 h), an original struck example, by Gérard Léonard Hérard (1637?-1675), Paris, 1673. •M•ANGELVS•BONAROTVS• PATRITIVS•FLORENTINVS Bare-headed, bearded and draped bust of Michelangelo to right; on the truncation, •HERARD•. Rev. •FÆLICITER•IVNXIT• (=he joined them felicitously) The emblems of Michelangelo's talents: a torso (sculpture), an easel and brushes (painting), architecture (a set square and a pillar) and poetry (books and a scroll), all set in a landscape; in the exergue, M•DC•LXXIII•. Jones II, 284. Very rare in silver. Attractively toned. With a die break across Michelangelo's beard (as Jones 284c) and minor marks, otherwise, extremely fine.

From the collection of a Bon Vivant, ex Rauch 89, 5 December 2011, 2955 and Classical Numismatic Group 87, 18 May 2011, 2168.

Obviously Michelangelo is too well-known to need a note! This piece's rarity has to be explained by the fact that the obverse die broke soon after it came into use.