Napoleon III Bonaparte, keizer der Fransen, spotpenning vervaardigd uit munt van tien centimes 1855

This is a satirical medal made in 1855 in France from a ten centimes coin, by Jean-Jacques Barre. It’s a fascinating object because it speaks volumes about the politics of imagery and the social conditions shaping artistic production. The medal critiques Napoleon III’s regime. Coins, as official state symbols, were ripe for such subversive interventions. By re-striking a ten centimes coin with a mocking portrait, Barre challenged the emperor's authority, effectively turning a symbol of state power into a tool of political dissent. Numismatic collections, archives, and political pamphlets from the time could tell us more about the cultural climate that enabled such acts of defiance. This medal is a potent reminder of how art, even in its smallest forms, can challenge the status quo.