Superb state of preservation.

The diameter is given excluding the original suspension loop. This is a rare period strike, composed of two uniface elements assembled within a copper mounting.

It is worth noting that this specific combination of obverse and reverse has not been recorded by Gilles Michaud, author of the reference work on Palloy (Numismatique et documents du Patriote Palloy).

However, he does mention the existence of two other examples: one preserved in the Musée Carnavalet, and another sold in the Révolution et Empire sale in 1989. This piece is therefore an extremely rare numismatic document, also distinguished by its exceptional state of preservation.

Pierre-François Palloy, known as “the Patriot Palloy,” was a Parisian entrepreneur active during the French Revolution.

Following the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, he became famous for overseeing its demolition. Highly skilled in both business and political communication, he transformed stones from the fortress into commemorative objects (models, medals, and relics), which he distributed throughout France to promote the revolutionary symbol.

Palloy thus played a key role in shaping the narrative and memory of the Revolution, helping to establish the fall of the Bastille as a founding event.

References: Michaud, p. 67