Historical Collection Catalogue

Obverse: bust of LOUIS XIV facing right, signed R [N°196 var], Guéant Prieur type 418 D; lettering = LVDOVICVS.MAGNVS.REX. Reverse: hive on the right with its swarm emerging on the left; lettering = PAR.DONIS.ARMISQVE, AERARIVM.REGIVM, MDC.XCIV, R. VF (ver fine). The lettering 'par donis armisque' is an extraction from the Latin poet Claudius Claudianus (Engl.: Caudian; 370-404 AD) in his book 'De Consulatu Stilichonis Liber Tertius - XXIII' (Engl.: On the Consulate of Stilicho Book 3 - XXIII)): 'Obscurat veteres obscurabitque futuros par donis armisque manus' (Engl.: Thy hands, as prodigal of gifts as of daring deeds, o’ershadow the past and will o’ershadow the future). From Loeb Classical Library.