INSURRECTIONAL GOVERNMENT OF THE PARIS COMMUNE - Lot 319

INSURRECTIONAL GOVERNMENT OF THE PARIS COMMUNE march 18 - may 28, 1871 (laurel branch) LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ. Nude Hercules with leonté, uniting Liberté standing on the left, holding a pike surmounted by the hand of Justice, and Égalité on the right, holding the level. In the exergue, Dupré's signature in cursive letters between two stars. R/. RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE (star). Face value and date within a wreath of olive and oak. Below, trident, Camélinat mark, workshop letter and anchor. Edge inscribed in relief: """""DIEU"... ** Gad 744 5 Francs argent "Camélinat" 1871 Paris (25.07 g) Very rare. A very fine example. The trident is the mark of Zéphirin Camélinat, director of the Monnaie de Paris in 1871. Camélinat reorganized the establishment and, with the melting down of some of the imperial silver recovered from the palaces, had high-quality Dupré-type 5-franc coins minted, known as Hercules au trident (Hercules with trident), his different title as director of the mint being a trident. They were put into circulation during the short Commune period, and have remained famous and highly sought-after by collectors ever since. The Commune was the last workers' revolution. The population called for the election of a Commune as early as October 1870. On March 1, the Prussians marched through Paris. On March 18, the National Guard revolted, and insurrection spread throughout Paris. A Communal Council, known as the Paris Commune, was elected, while the Thiers government evacuated the capital. In April, fighting broke out between Versailles' regular troops and the 20,000 to 30,000 Commune fighters. At the beginning of May, Mac-Mahon's regular troops won a number of victories, then entered Paris on May 21. During a week of violent fighting, known as "Bloody Week", the Commune forces were repulsed. Repression was merciless, with an estimated 20,000 deaths on the Commune side, plus some 38,000 arrests.