A look at the Bayonne Mint – Part 2, Presses at work

In the 1640s, a new coinage reform took place in the Kingdom of France. As part of this reform, new types of coins were created, with new weights and values. But in addition, the hammer minting was banned and the use of the flywheel press, promoted by Jean Varin (or Warin), was made mandatory throughout the kingdom. The aim, once again, was to improve the quality of the coins and thus prevent counterfeiting and mutilation operations.

Of the mints throughout the French kingdom, the last to adapt to the new production standards were those of Bayonne and Navarre-Biarroc. In the case of Bayonne, the mint on Rue de l'Orbe was too small to accommodate the necessary increase in production and all the new equipment, and as a result, they had to look for a new headquarters.

This new headquarters gave rise to the name of the street that still exists today, "Rue de la Monnaie" or Mint Street. This street, in the Bayonne district, runs from one side of the cathedral to the Orbe street.

The only building that maintains the lineage and name of the Bayonne Mint – Google Maps Image

Nowadays, only one building bears the name of the Bayonne Mint. This building is located at 5 Rue de la Monnaie and “Hotel de la Monnaie” can be clearly read above the entrance door. The old mint has long since disappeared, and after the renovation completed in 2008, twelve apartments can be found in this building today.

The entrance and interior courtyard of the Hotel de la Monnaie – Photo by Joly Architecte Studio – Courtesy of Isabelle Joly

View of the inner courtyard of the Hotel de la Monnaie – Photo by Joly Architecte Studio – Courtesy of Isabelle Joly

But the new mint, which was founded almost four centuries ago, did not only consist of this single building that can be seen today. On the other side of Rue de la Monnaie, the site now occupied by a row of houses, was once the mint's workshops. This row of houses has its entrance at number 6 Rue de la Monnaie and is still known among Bayonne residents as the "Ilot de la Monnaie". The new row of houses was built between 2012 and 2017, on the land previously occupied by the Caisse d'Epargne savings bank.

From the Hotel de la Monnaie building, the houses built on the Ilot de la Monnaie site. Bayonne Cathedral in the background, Rue de la Monnaie below – Celia Uhalde Courtesy of the photographer – architects Adam Yedid and Isabelle Joly

In all these areas, the new Bayonne mint was built at the end of the 1640s. After a history of around 160 years in the premises on Rue Orbe, in 1650 they began to produce new coins in the new premises on Rue de la Monnaie. To the Mint of Pau As we saw in the previous section, the mint had different departments: copper, gold and silver smelting areas, rolling and metalworking-cleaning areas, a coining workshop for flywheel presses, a currency exchange office, officers' residences, coin testing and fitting workshops, and material or product entry and exit sections.

But while the Pau mint used a water-powered mill to turn the rolling mills, there are no traces of waterfalls or streams in these areas of Bayonne. As a result, the Bayonne mint had to use a mill mechanism powered by animals. As the image shows, the rolling mills were powered by rotating shafts powered by mules or oxen in this case. But otherwise, as far as the coinage process is concerned, this was similar to that described in the Pau mill mint section.

Vertical shafts powered by mules or oxen rotated the rolling mills fitted on the upper floor.

The first coins minted by the new mint were the silver half and quarter escudos that appeared in 1650. If we look at the quality of the coinage, the difference between those made by hammer and those made by flywheel press is obvious. On the other hand, these coins produced by flywheel press lost once and for all the characteristic of Bayonne. From now on, only the L izkia would distinguish the Bayonne mint.

The coins tend to show the characteristics of the Bayonne mintmaster and engraver, with the mintmaster on the obverse and the engraver on the reverse over time.

LVD.XIIII.DGFR.ET.NAV.REX. – Silver Half Shield of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre – 13.54 gr – 32 mm

SIT NOMEN DOMINI (L Left) BENEDICTVM (Cross)1650 (B Left) – B Left, hallmark of the Mintmaster Martin de La Borde (1643-1656). Cross, hallmark of the engraver Guillaume Fons (1648-1656)

1650 – First appearance of coins struck by a flywheel press at the Bayonne mint – Collection from Monaco. 153,747 half-escudos were struck in the first year.

In these two sections written about the Bayonne Mint, I have not had the opportunity to find much information on the Internet. There are a couple of books, from the first half of the 20th century, but for now I have not been able to get my hands on them, namely the writings of Antoine Foltzer and Paul Burguburu. I am waiting for a better opportunity, again on my next trip to the Basque Country.

Consequently, I have no knowledge of the number of laminators or flywheel presses that the Bayonne mint had. Considering that the Pau mint had three laminators and three flywheel presses during the 16th century and early 17th century, it would be reasonable to assume that the Bayonne mint had at least three and probably more.

The importance of the mint increased thanks to its unbeatable location, close to the huge sources of metal of the Spanish kingdom. Initially, in the second half of the 17th century, the numerous wars between the Bourbon and Austrian royal houses damaged the supply of precious metals. However, when the Bourbon family gained the throne of the Spanish kingdom in the 18th century, the permanent and stable supply of metal made Bayonne one of the most important mints in France. By examining the coins of Bayonne, one can trace the history of the coinage of the French kingdom, in its abundant wealth, both in gold, silver and copper.

LVD.XIIII.DG (thirst) FR.ET.NAV.REX. – Silver shield of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre – 27.13 gr – 38.7 mm – Thimble hallmarked by Engraver Leon Boisnet (1659-1672)

SIT NOMEN DOMINI (L Left) BENEDICTVM (Heart)1663.– Heart, hallmark of the Mintmaster Louis Martin (1662-1666).

1663 – Young image of Louis XIV, Ecu Blanc or White Shields, beautiful coins weighing around 27 grams of silver. 65,194 white shields were minted in Bayonne this year.

LVD.XIIII.DG (hare-dog) FR.ET.NA.REX. – Silver shield of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre – 27.04 gr – 38.5 mm – Hare-dog Characteristic of the Engraver Joseph Boisnet (1672-1674)

SIT NOMEN DOMINI (L Izkia) BENEDICTVM 1663 (Flower).– Flower, characteristic of the mintmaster Etienne Verdoye (1673-1674).

1673 – Louis XIV’s tie shield – Cgb auction house. In this year, 539,226 silver shields were reportedly minted at the Bayonne mint.

LVD.XIIII.DG (sun) FR.ET.NAV.REX. – Silver shield of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre – 27.28 gr – 38.5 mm – Sun feature unknown (Mintmaster)

SIT NOMEN DOMINI (L Izkia) BENEDICTVM 1688 (Palm branch).– Palm branch, characteristic of the unknown engraver who worked between 1681-1695.

1688 – Hidden wig of Louis XIV. The only known example. The production of the edges began in 1687 in Bayonne, using the machine of Jean Castaing. The text of the edge DOMINE. SALVVM. FAC. REGEM. (May God save the king)

LVD.XIIII.DG (Sun) (Flower) FR.ET.NAV.REX. – Silver shield of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre – 27.22 gr – 40.2 mm – Sun feature unknown (Mint Head)

SIT NOMEN DOMINI (L Izkia) BENEDICTVM 1701.– Flower, characteristic of the engraver Philippe I Ninon, who lived between 1701 and 1735.

1701 – Coat of arms of Louis XIV

The end of the reign of Louis XIV was not a prosperous period for the Bayonne mint. The Sun King's constant wars led to numerous coinage reforms and devaluations at the end of the 17th century, and the War of the Spanish Succession at the beginning of the 18th century made the situation even more difficult. These were not easy times for the Bayonne mint or for the city in general.

However, after the Bourbons gained the Spanish crown after the War of Succession, instead of the constant wars with the south in the 17th century, a strategic alliance of brothers against the English was formed throughout the 18th century. This was excellent news for Bayonne and especially for its mint, since the Spanish monarchy had the easiest and cheapest supply of metal sources at that time. At least in terms of the volume of coinage production, the Bayonne factory experienced its golden age during the next century of activity.

Bronze medal created in honor of the opening of the Chamber of Commerce of Bayonne – 34 mm – 1726 – On the reverse you can see the image of the port of Bayonne, with the large Bayonne on the right, the small Bayonne in the middle and the Santizpirit bridge on the left. This medal was not minted at the Bayonne mint.

In this new context, the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce (one of the first to be founded in France) was founded in 1726 with the aim of reviving and developing trade. It is important to remember the close trade relations that the Basque territories have always had with each other. We have already spoken about the importance of chocolate production in Bayonne. Bayonne's chocolate artisans were the mainstays of the markets throughout France during the 18th and 19th centuries, and cocoa beans were necessary to produce chocolate. And cocoa beans were brought by the Gipuzkoa Company of Caracas, founded in 1728, thanks to its trade monopoly with what is now Venezuela.

LUD.XV.DGFR.ET.NAV.REX. (Rhombus) – Gold Louis of Louis XV, King of France and Navarre – 8.12 gr – 24 mm – Rhombus hallmark Jean Lacroix Mintmaster (1710-1731)

CHRS.REGN.VINC.IMPER.1727 (Flower) – Flower, characteristic of the engraver Philippe I Ninon, who lived between 1701 and 1735.

1727 – The French kings, legally holding the title of King of France and Navarre, clearly displayed it on their gold coins. 74,800 gold Louis were minted in Bayonne this year.

LUD.XV.DGFR.ET.NAV.REX. (hare-dog) – Louis XV King of France and Navarre gold double Louis – 16.25 gr – 28 mm – Hare-dog feature Pierre Arnaud Mintmaster (1735-1759)

CHRS.REGN.VINC.IMPE. (Flower) 1743 – Flower, characteristic of the engraver Philippe II Ninon between 1736-1743.

1743 – Double Gold Louis 16 and a half gram excellent coin

LUD.XVI.DGFR.ET.NAV.REX. (Floral Crosses) DUVIV. – Gold Louis XVI of France and Navarre – 8.16 gr – 24 mm – Crossed Flowers hallmark Pierre d'Arrupe Mintmaster (1759-1777)

CHRS.REGN.VINC.IMPER. (Flower) 1777 – Flower, characteristic of the engraver Jean-Baptiste Rossy between 1770-1792.

1777 – Magnificent portrait of Louis XVI

DUVIV – Benjamin Duvuvier, French engraver-general between 1774 and 1791

LUD.XVI.DGFR.ET.NAV.REX. (Double Flowers) B. DUVIV. F.– Silver shield of Louis XVI, King of France and Navarre – 29.34 gr – 41 mm – Double Flower hallmark Pierre Romain d'Arrupe Mintmaster (1779-1793)

SIT NOMEN DOMINI (L Izkia) BENEDICTUM. (Flower) 1790 – Flower, characteristic of the engraver Jean-Baptiste Rossy between 1770-1792.

1790 – Last coins from Bayonne with Latin pictorial text – Collection from Monaco. 350,000 of these were minted in Bayonne this year.

B. DUVIV. F – Benjamin Duvuvier, French engraver-general between 1774-1791

The end of the 18th century was once again a time of economic crisis. The city had to deal with the problem of sandbanks forming at the mouth of the Atur River. Trade declined again and the new privileges granted by Louis XVI in 1784 were to be part of the solution.

But rather than a solution, the year 1789 transformed European thought and history in an unimaginable way. The evolution of Europe and especially France over the course of twenty-five years can be clearly seen in the coin produced by the Bayonne Mint. And to be honest, these were not bad times for the Mint, it was working like crazy. In the space of a few years, a constitutional monarchy, a constitutional republic, a directory, a consulate, an emperor, another Bourbon king, another former emperor and finally, the same former Bourbon king passed before history… there were coiners on both sides.

It is also a crucial period in the history of coinage, and we have already spoken about these periods in an overview, To the Bilbao Mint and The appearance on French coins We will have to write about these years again and therefore we will only offer a quick look at them today.

LOUIS XVI ROI DES FRANCOIS. (Double Flowers) 1793 – Silver shield of Louis XVI, King of the French – 29.40 gr – 41 mm – Double Flower hallmark Pierre Romain d'Arrupe Mintmaster (1779-1793)

(Flower) REGNE DE LA LOI (L Izkia) (Dupre) L'AN 5 DE LA LIBERTE – Flower, characteristic of the engraver Jean-Baptiste Rossy between 1770-1792.

1793 – French language on coins and Louis XVI on the verge of losing his head

Augustin DUPRE – French engraver-general 1791-1803 (his signature appears on the image on the back)

REGNE DE LA LOI 1793 – Louis XVI had already lost his mind

(Flower) REPUBLIQUE FRANCOISE – SIX LIVRES – L – L'AN II (Double Flower) – The Republic was founded and according to the new calendar, 1793 is the second year of the new calendar. The standard value of the Pound, wages and money was still in force, the new pound, or Franc, as the Basques still call it today, was about to appear. 29.15gr – 38.5 mm

Augustin DUPRE – French engraver-general 1791-1803 (his signature appears in the front image)

Double flower, characteristic of the Mintmaster Pierre Romain d'Arrupe (1779-1793)

The flower, characteristic of the engraver Jean-Baptiste Rossy, who lived between 1770 and 1792.

(Artemis archer) UNION ET FORCE (Lion's head) . DUPRE .

FRENCH REPUBLIC – 5 FRANCS – L'AN 5 – L (Star) – New franc or pound circa 1797 and during the Directory period. 24.86gr – 36.8 mm

Artemis the archer and the sign: Augustin DUPRE – French engraver-general 1791-1803

Lion's head – Ambroise Laa, mintmaster of Bayonne between 1797-1803

The new franc, or as the Basques still call it today, was already born in 1795.

BONAPARTE PREMIER CONSUL (Tiolier) – Pierre Joseph Tiolier, French engraver-general 1803-1816

(Tulip) REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE – 5 FRANCS – AN XI – L – 24.90gr – 37 mm

Tulip – Pierre Romain D'Arripe, mintmaster of Bayonne between 1803-1810.

In the eleventh year, between 1802 and 1803, 33,402 such copies were produced. Napoleon, still Consul.

NAPOLEON EMPEROR (Tiolier Signature) – Pierre Joseph Tiolier, French engraver-general 1803-1816

(Tulip) REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE – 5 FRANCS – AN 13 – L – 37mm 24.90gr

Tulip – Pierre Romain D'Arripe, mintmaster of Bayonne between 1803-1810

This coin, circa 1805, depicts Napoleon as Emperor of the French Republic. 206,698 pieces were minted.

NAPOLEON EMPEROR (Tiolier Signature) – Pierre Joseph Tiolier, French engraver-general 1803-1816

(Tulip) REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE – 5 FRANCS – 1806 – L – 37.58mm 24.71gr

Tulip – Pierre Romain D'Arripe, mintmaster of Bayonne between 1803-1810

In 1806, France abandoned the republican calendar and returned to the Christian calendar. 550,878 such copies were produced in Bayonne

NAPOLEON EMPEROR (DROZ P.) (Tiolier Zinadura) – Pierre Joseph Tiolier, French engraver-general 1803-1816. Jean Pierre Droz – Author of the image of Napoleon

(Tulip) EMPIRE FRANCAIS – 20 FRANCS – 1809 – L – 21.0 mm 6.44 gr

Tulip – Pierre Romain D'Arripe, mintmaster of Bayonne between 1803-1810

1809: The Republic is over and the empire is already in sight. 2383 such copies were made in Bayonne

LOUIS XVIII ROI DE FRANCE (Tiolier) – Pierre Joseph Tiolier, French engraver-general 1803-1816

(Tulip) PIECE DE 20 FRANCS – 1814 – L – 21.0 mm 6.36 gr – cgb auction house

Tulip – Pierre Boniface D'Arripe, Mintmaster of Bayonne between 1810-1829

1814: After Napoleon lost the war, the European powers restored the Bourbons to the throne. 44,883 copies were minted in Bayonne.

NAPOLEON EMPEROR (DROZ P.) (Tiolier Zinadura) – Pierre Joseph Tiolier, French engraver-general 1803-1816. Jean Pierre Droz – Author of the image of Napoleon

(Tulip) EMPIRE FRANCAIS – 20 FRANCS – 1815 – L – 21.0 mm 6.39 gr

Tulip – Pierre Boniface D'Arripe, Mintmaster of Bayonne between 1810-1829

1815: During the Hundred Days, until the Battle of Waterloo was lost, Napoleon returned to power. 18,278 copies were minted in Bayonne

LOUIS XVIII ROI DE FRANCE (Michaut F.) (Horse) – Horse, Nicolas Pierre Tiolier, French engraver general 1816 – 1842. August Francois Michaut engraver of the image of Louis XVIII.

(Tulip) 5 FRANCES – 1824 – L – 37.0 mm 24.91 gr

Tulip – Pierre Boniface D'Arripe, Mintmaster of Bayonne between 1810-1829

1824: The moderate government of Louis XVIII brought 10 years of peace, but the situation changed completely when his brother Charles X came to the throne.

CHARLES X ROI DE FRANCE (Michaut.) (Tiolier Zinadura) – Nicolas Pierre Tiolier, French engraver general 1816 – 1842. August Francois Michaut engraver of the image of Charles X.

(Tulip) 5 FRANCES – 1825 – L – 37.2 mm 24.87 gr

Tulip – Pierre Boniface D'Arripe, Mintmaster of Bayonne between 1810-1829

1825: Charles X attempted to return to absolutist rule, but was exiled by the people in 1830. He was the last Bourbon king of France. 226,872 such coins were minted in Bayonne in 1825.

LOUIS PHILIPPE I ROI DES FRANCAIS (Domard F.) – Engraver of the portrait of Louis Philippe I by Joseph Francois Domard

(Pink) 40 FRANCS – 1834 – L – 26.05 mm 12.87 gr

Pink – Pierre Latrilhe, mintmaster of Bayonne between 1829-1835

1834: Louis Philippe I exiled the Bourbons and established a short constitutional reign of the House of Orléans. 12,343 copies of this type were minted that year.

The beginning of the 19th century was a difficult one for Bayonne. After the Napoleonic Wars, the Spanish kingdom, Bayonne's most important trading partner, suffered a complete collapse. It is significant that in 1808 Napoleon deposed the Spanish kings Charles IV and Ferdinand VII in Bayonne. A few years later, after the defeat of the French revolutionaries in 1815, difficult times began for the Bayonne mint.

The mint's stable supply of metal came from the south, and the movement for independence in the Indies permanently interrupted this supply. On the other hand, in the 1830s, the French kingdom was organizing the reduction of mints and, at the same time, the modernization of the mints with Thonnelier coinage presses. The flywheel presses of the Bayonne mint were already obsolete.

In this context, the Bayonne mint was unable to defend its value and was closed permanently on August 3, 1835. This closure permanently interrupted the 345-year history of Bayonne coinage.

Two years later, in 1837, the last coins produced at the Pamplona mint were issued...the most important Basque mints wanted to say goodbye to coinage together, swallowed up by modernity.

Bibliography:

LES POIDS MONETAIRES DU MUSEE – Basque Museum of Bayonne – link

ATELIER DE BAYONNE 1490 – Club Numismatique Liegeois – link

THE HISTORY OF BAYONNE CHOCOLAT – Bayonne Chocolate Academy – link

HISTORY OF THE PORT OF BAYONNE – Bayonne Chocolate Academy – Summary of the Book “L'Adour et le Port de Bayonne” – link

HISTORIQUE PORT DE BAYONNE – Historical summary of the port of Bayonne – link

The history of the walls of Bayonne – Olivier Ribeton – Fortius Pamplona Bayonne – link

BASQUE MUSEUM of Bayonne – link

HOTEL DE LA MONNAIE- BAYONNE RESTAURATION – Isabelle Joly Architecte – link

ILLOT MONNAIE- BAYONNE CONSTRUCTIONS NEUVES – Isabelle Joly Architecte – link

ADAM YEDID ARCHITECTS, ISABELLE JOLY – ILOT MONNAIE GOUVERNEURS – Divisare Architecture Website, March 08, 2018 – link

Coinage – link

MONEDAS REALES FRANCESAS, MARCAS DIFFERENCIADORAS – Julen Numismatika's blog – link

MARCAS DIFFERENCIADORAS EN LAS MONDAS FRANCESAS – Julen Numismatika's blog – link

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