LOUIS XVI son of Dauphin Louis Ferdinand and Marie Josèphe d - Lot 456

LOUIS XVI son of Dauphin Louis Ferdinand and Marie Josèphe de Saxe May 10, 1774 - September 4, 1791 † January 21, 1793 LUD - XVI - FR - ET NAV - REX * MAR - ANT - AUST - REG -FR. Confronting busts of Louis XVI, bareheaded, on the right, with knotted hair held in place by a ribbon, and Marie Antoinette, on the left, with a beaded diadem. Below, N. GATTEAUX. R/. FELICITAS PUBLICA. France seated frontally, a fleur-de-lis shield leaning against her seat, presenting the naked dauphin in her arms. On the base, N. GATTEAUX. In exergue, NATALES DELPHINI DIE XXII OCTOBRIS MDCCLXXXI. Smooth edge. ♦ Nocq 207 Nicolas Marie Gatteaux silver medal (15.39 g) Ø 34.11 mm. A very fine example. This small medal commemorates the birth of the Dauphin Louis Joseph Xavier François born October 22, 1781 and died June 4, 1789. The king had taken seven years to consummate his marriage. Married on May 16, 1770, his daughter Élisabeth was not born until 1778. In 1781, the birth of the Dauphin ensured the continuity of the throne.