Obverse
Obverse legend : LVDOVICVS MAGNVS REX.
Obverse description : Buste à droite de Louis XIV signé n°RF , gravé n°200.
Reverse
Reverse legend : PROTECTEVR DE L’ACADEMIE FRANCOISE.
Reverse description : A L’IMMORTALITE / 1684.
Historical background
FRENCH ACADEMY / ACADÉMIE FRANÇAISE
The French Academy was founded in 1635, under the reign of Louis XIII, by Cardinal Richelieu, with the aim of embellishing and perfecting the French language, symbol of the power of the King and the State. It had to be "perfect, clear and precise, capable of marrying the twists and turns of thought, of supplanting Latin and of finishing off lexical and stylistic misuse." Monitoring the language, and therefore the writings, was also a means of thwarting political intrigues... The Academy receives as its seal the motto "to immortality" with a crown of laurels, and the care of writing the Dictionary of the language French. Reading advice: MASSON F., "History of the French Academy, 1629-1793", Paris, 1912.