Since 2020, Monnaie de Paris has been retracing the History of American Independence through a collection of coins. The designs are directly inspired by historical products issued by Monnaie de Paris—antique medals from its archives. This sub-theme is part of the “Great Dates of Humanity” series, launched in 2019 with events such as the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, and D-Day.

 

In 2020, Monnaie de Paris launched the “History of American Independence” series with the arrival of La Fayette in Boston. This was followed by “Washington Before Boston” in 2021, the Great Seal of the USA in 2022, the Libertas Americana medal in 2023, and the Battle of Cowpens in 2024.

 

This year, the “Benjamin Franklin and the Winged Genius” medal is in the spotlight. Benjamin Franklin was an American polymath, known as an inventor, scientist, and diplomat. As one of the Founding Fathers, he played a key role in drafting the United States Declaration of Independence.

 

The “Benjamin Franklin – Winged Genius” medal was created in 1784 by Augustin Dupré, who later became the chief engraver of the French mint in 1791. It was not a royal commission, but rather Dupré’s personal tribute to Benjamin Franklin, whom he admired both for his scientific work on electricity and for his diplomatic achievements.

 

The reverse features a winged Genius holding a lightning bolt in front of a temple with a lightning rod; at his feet lie a broken crown and sceptre—symbols of the triumph of science and freedom. The Latin inscription “Eripuit coelo fulmen sceptrumque tyrannis” (“He snatched the thunderbolt from the sky and the sceptre from the tyrants”), inspired by Anne Robert Jacques Turgot and popularized in France from 1778 onward, emphasizes Franklin’s dual role as both scientist and statesman.

 

A second version of this medal was produced in 1786, featuring a more restrained reverse within an oak wreath surrounding the same inscription. This simpler version was more widely distributed, while the original, more artistic version remained rare and exclusive.