Médaille France Bronze Napoléon III 1860

This medal commemorates the signing of the Franco-British Commercial Treaty of 23 January 1860, a historic agreement concluded between France and the United Kingdom, also known as the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty. This agreement represents a major turning point in commercial relations between the two nations, establishing a significant reduction in customs duties and promoting free trade between the two European powers.

The obverse of the medal features the portrait of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, whose reign is closely associated with the policy of economic openness that made the conclusion of this treaty possible. The representation of the Emperor bears witness to the central role played by imperial power in the negotiation and ratification of this diplomatic and commercial agreement.

The engraving of this medal is attributed to L. Merley, a renowned 19th-century engraver who worked for the Paris Mint, to whom many commemorative medals of this era are owed. The quality of execution and the care given to iconographic details reflect the level of excellence characteristic of French engraving workshops of this period.

This medal was presented to M. Schlumberger, to whom it is nominally attributed, making it a particularly individualised example, bearing witness to the common practice under the Second Empire of presenting commemorative medals to personalities involved in or associated with the events being celebrated.

The medal is part of the French tradition of commemorating major diplomatic and political events through the striking of official medals, a practice particularly widespread under the Second Empire. It constitutes a numismatic testimony to the economic and political history of the 19th century, documenting the major decisions that shaped the international relations of this period.