tting the dies for the medal intended
for M. de Fleury. The price of such work is beyond my
expectation, being a thousand livres for each die. I shall try if
it is not possible to have the others done cheaper.

- - - - -

With great respect I have the honour to be, Sir, your most
obedient and most humble servant,
B. FRANKLIN.

This medal was shown in the exhibition of the Royal Academy in Paris
in 1781. The Libertas Americana piece was struck in 1783.

Six of the earliest of the series were designed under the supervision
of Colonel David Humphreys, namely, those for Generals Washington,
Gates, Greene, and Morgan, and Lieutenant-Colonels Washington and
Howard. To insure a due observance of the laws of numismatics, and
that they might bear comparison with the best specimens of modern
times, Colonel Humphreys asked the aid of the French Academy of
Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres in the composition of the designs. (p. xii)
He explained his action in this respect to the President of Congress
in the following letter:

To His Excellency Paris, March 18, 1785.
THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Sir: Before I left America, I made application to the
Superintendent of Finances for the sword which Congress had been
pleased to order, by their resolution of the 17th of November,
1781, to be presented to me, in consequence of which Mr. Morris
informed me verbally that he would take the necessary
arrangements for procuring all the honourary presents which had
been directed to be given to different officers during the late
war, and requested that I would undertake to have them executed
in Europe. Some time after my arrival here, I received the
inclosed letter[1] from him, accompanied with a list of medals,
etc., and a description of those intended for General Morgan and
Colonels Washington and Howard.

Upon the receipt of these documents I did not delay to make the
proper inquiries from the characters who were the best skilled in
subjects of this nature, and after having spoken to some of the
first artists, I was advised to apply to the Abbe Barthelemy,
member of the academies of London, Madrid, Cortona, and
Hesse-Cassel, and actual keeper of the King's Cabinet of Medals
and Antiquities, at whose instance I