French Revolution - Clemanson 2 Sols, 1792

These present some iconic images associated with the French Revolution: Fasces, Liberty cap, flags and cannon. These are central pieces to the Monnaies De Confiance series of necessity tokens, in the face of near worthless paper assignats several tokens were issued for various reasons, not least of which were to pay employees. These were crudely struck in Lyon from brass and copper, this is the brass issue, which is scarcer. See here in the Moneta Museum a much better copper issue. Also see the Monneron Brothers for the bulk of this French Revolution series.
OB: CLEMANSON, ET Cp Nvs PLACE CONFORT ALYON (around); LAN VI DELA LIBERTE '- (in exergue)
RX: VIVRE LIBRE OU MOURIR (Live Free or Die, around); MEDAILLE - DE CONFIANCE DE 2 S- A ECHANGER CONTRE DES ASSIGNAT ET- MANDAT DETOUTE VALEUR - M DCC XCII (1792).

I have acquired the other Very Rare type of Clemanson that appears in the SCWC KM Tn#7 (1700's). It's also a 2 Soles made using the same planchet as the more common type. Here the patriotic obverse depiction of flags, cannon and drums is replaced with the statement "Le Nation / Le Loi / Et Le Roi" (The Nation, The Law, and the King). By this point in the Revolution any mention of the Le Roi (King) was heavily frowned upon and the design was changed to the patriotic one. Richard Margolis (see his paper, available above) wrote that he personally only knew of two specimens, this being purchased from the sale of his collection is one of them. I do believe there may be a few more. The following is the modified auction text: FRANCE. Constitution Period. Clémanson Copper 2 Sols Token, Year IV/1792. Lyon Mint. VERY FINE & VERY RARE

Guilloteau-303. By Clémanson & Cie. Diameter: 32mm; Weight: 17.12 gms. Edge: Rough. A VERY RARE type that differs from the more commonly encountered issue with its simpler obverse design, Margolis even notes that this is "one of the greatest rarities of the revolutionary period; only this + one other example known to me."
Provenance: From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Hans Schulman on 24 October 1952 for $6). Paid: $ 2547.50; Stack's Bowers Galleries; 12 Jun 2025 – Richard Margolis Collection, Lot# 70109. KM# Tn7; Reynaud MDC# 20; Mazard ?
Link to the photo: [ link ]