»^ 





Fig. 14. — Jean \'arin showing a medjl in Lmiis \l\ m a |j.iiiiiiiiL; l)\ I'r.iii<;iii,s Lfiii.iirc- (?) 



(aulhur's pliutd). 



An intrresting passage in Rayanis' i'<-|)()ii to Ilrni\- lion can lir seen in a conic inporaiA' iiainiiii'^, of his 

 I\' — in which he narrates the history of the coUcclion grandson, the yoiniL; I.onis XI\', aciiniring a medal 



of Catherine de Medicis — states that, in France, tlie 

 "great king Francis [Francis I], Henry II, tlic other 

 subsequent kings and queens, tlieir \\i\'es and mothers 

 and grand princes," and, in ltal\', the princes and 

 lords, esjaecially the Medicis, owned important coin 

 collections. Apparently it was inmecrss.n\ to con- 

 vince the king of such ini|)orlance IxnaiiM' llenry I\ 

 himself stated that he wanted ,1 collcclion '■ lo eniiiel- 

 Hsh the ro\al residence, to assist the (aown Prince in 



which J<',m \ aiin, the director of the Paris mint, is 

 showin',; him (fiy. 14 ). 



L iidouhledK, coins and especially ancient coins did 

 |)iesenl a spec i.il interest to artists. To note just one 

 example, I'ctcr I'.inl Ruliens, the !;icn i'lemish 

 p.iinter, is known lo have lioU'-;ht a collection of 

 l,S,()Ot) coins, which he Liter resold. 



'Ilie eailic'-t known coin auction took pLice in 



his education, and to oiler to conlenipoiar\ artists Levden toward the end of the Idlh centur\, u hen the 

 good e.\am|)les to imitate." '' Ihis piinceh' ediica- 



'' Baeelo.v, 1 1,111,'. \„\. 1, ml. 1211. 

 P.A.PER 32: NU.\IISM.\TICS — .-W .WCll NT SfHFNCE 



collection of a French uc'iulem.ui was sold in this 

 manner in 1 .t')S. 



21 



