1852 Potosi - Médaille M.I. Belzu Pdt

Country: Bolivia
Type: Medal
Year: 1852
Value: 1 Sol
Metal: Silver (.666)
Weight: 3.6 g
Diameter: 20 mm.
Edge: Reeded
Mint: Potosi
Grade: XF45 (Filled hole)
Orientation: Coin alignment ↑↓
Reference: Burnett# 38

A/ "El Departamento de Potosi en 1852":

Le Département de Potosi  En 1852. (Ange ou la victoire ailée soufflant dans une trompette et tenant une couronne de laurier avec le nom de MI Belzu)

R/ "Al Ser Supremo que salvo a Bolivia" "En 6. D Stere de 18--"

A l'Être Suprême qui a sauvé la Bolivie. (Un Autel ou un temple entouré d'une aura de lumière) le 6 Décembre 1848 (Date de la Bataille de Yamparáez)

Médaille au module et poids d'une monnaie de 1 Sol, anciennement trouée et rebouchée.

Manuel Isidoro Belzu est un général et homme politique bolivien (La Paz 14 avril 1808 - id. 23 mars 1865)

Président de la république de 1848 à 1855, il tente de reprendre le pouvoir mais est assassiné par son concurrent, le général Mariano Melgarejo.

Comments:
I refer to this as the “angel/assassin/temple”
series of 8-, 4-, 2-, and 1-sol size pieces (some in
gold) across two dates in shared designs, many of
which also (or only, in the case of Burnett 33 and
34) show an 1850 date in reference to an attempted
assassination of president Belzu by General Morales
on September 6 of that year. These pieces diverge
from the previous 1850 issue and other 1852 issues in that they do
not show a bust of Belzu. As my first sentence indicates, all show a
combination of two (one on each side) of three designs: a flying angel blowing a horn to left and holding a wreath
with Belzu’s name to right; a togate criminal (whom Fonrobert thought might be Oedipus, following Belzu’s Greek
mythology theme, but I prefer to equate to Belzu’s would-be assassin) fleeing to right threatened by a sword at left;
and the radiant, domed temple known as La Rotunda, erected on the spot where Belzu’s attempted assassination took
place. Less used but also in the mix is a design of Liberty seated with a baby and a youth facing a radiant sun, as well
as one-off designs such as a congressional scene, the main plaza of Potosí with Cerro to right, or a large moth (with
Cochabamba reference in legend), all of which are found mated with one of the “angel/assassin/temple” designs.

Referenz : Burnett# 38

Sammlung : Bolivia - Royaume colonial espagnol et République