Exergue: comitia americana.
Reverse: Naval Engagement.
Legend: hostium navibus captis aut fugatis.
Exergue: ad oram scotiæ 23 sept. 1779.
The following, from the same to the same, bearing date February 15, 1789, throws some light on the prices of the medals engraved by M. Dupré:
To
M. Dupré,
Engraver of Medals, Paris.
Mr. Jefferson has the honour to observe to M. Dupré that he pays only twenty-four hundred livres to M. Duvivier or to M. Gatteaux for medals which measure twenty-four lignes, that he paid the same sum to M. Dupré himself for that of General Greene, and that recently M. Dupré asked no higher price for that of General Morgan. Mr. Jefferson cannot, therefore, consent to give more. For that sum he would expect to have the best work of M. Dupré and not that of inferior artists. As regards time, perhaps it may be possible to prolong it somewhat in regard to the medal for Admiral Paul Jones, that officer being at present in Europe. Mr. Jefferson will have the honour to await M. Dupré's answer, and will be happy to conclude this arrangement with him.[9]
February 15, 1789.
It is to be supposed that Dupré accepted these conditions, since he is the engraver of the John Paul Jones medal, one of the finest specimens in our collection. The Daniel Morgan piece is no less remarkable as an effort of numismatic skill. The fight at the Cowpens, on the reverse, is a striking example of the boldness with which Dupré enlarged the limits of his art, and, in defiance of all traditional rules, successfully represented several planes in the background.
I cannot do better than to give the opinion, concerning this and the other of Dupré's American medals, of M. Charles Blanc,[10] from whom I quote freely in the following: