An antique French medal Comptoir National D Escompte de Paris, business and industry. Presumably made of silver. The obverse of the coin depicts a relief of two women looking at each other. One woman holds a caduceus rod in her hand. The background around the women consists of an anchor, cargo, lighthouse, steam locomotive, and various blacksmithing objects. Both women are standing barefoot on the line that marks the ground. Under the line are highlighted signature J. CAVELIER F. - L. MERLEY. S. The coin on the reverse consists of an inscription and images of a ship, blacksmithing tools, a caduceus rod, and a lamp. Surrounded by an inscription REPVBLIQVE FRANCAISE and COMPTOIR NATIONAL D ESCOMPTE DE PARIS. An inscription In the center CREATION VII-VIII MARS MDCCCXLVIII, INSTITVTION IX-X MARS, CONSTITVTION XX-MARS, ORGANISATION XXVIII MARS, SOVS COMPTOIRS XXIV MARS, PROROGATION DV COMPTOIR, XX FEVRIER XXII MARS V AVRIL, MDCCCL. Until the middle of the 19th century, there were only private banks intended for large fortunes, like the Rothschilds. They then took the name of investment banks such as the Banque de Paris et des Pays Bas, the Union Generale, etc. The development of the activity, born of the Industrial Revolution, caused the creation of banks of a new type, for all, called deposit banks. The first was the Comptoir d'Escompte, founded in 1853. Antique French Silver Medal Awards For Collectors. Weight 34 grams.