France. 19th cent. silver two-side replica of the famous French medal in memory of the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. The original medal was made circa 1400-1402 by an anonymous Flemish master in French Parisian school to honour emperor's historic returt of the True Cross from Persians on March 21 629 AD. Obverse·ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΣ·ΕΝ·ΧW·TW·ΘW·ΠΙCTOO·BACI·KAI·AVTO·PW·NIKITHC·KAI·AΘΛΟΘΕΤΗC·AEI·AVΓΥCTOC·. ΑΠΟΛΙΝΙC ILLVMINA·UVL·TVM/TVVM·dEV; on crescent: SVPER TENEBRAS NOSTRAS MILITABOR/ IN GENTIBUS. Reverse legend: SVΠ·ΕR·ASμ ΙDEM·ET·BAXILISCVM·AMBVLAVIT ET·CONCVLCAVIT ·LEONEM·ET ·dRACONEM; In field: ΔΟΞΑ·ΕΝ·VΨΙCTIC·XW TO/OW·OTI·ΔΙΕΡΡΙΞΕ·CΙΔΙ/ΠΑC·ΠΙΛΑC·KAI·EΛΕVOE/PWCE AΓΙΑΝ ΒΑCI·HΡ/ΑΚΛΕ·. Kress 525; Armand II 8.6; Cott. 195. The medal is made of two parts. Silver 179.06 g, diameter 91 mm. In the old box.
