50mm. 61 grams. Edge marked BONZE with cornucopia privy mark. Struck at the Paris Mint. The obverse features Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, seated and facing left with an outstretched arm holding a laurel wreath. The engraver has signed his name, BRENNET, at about 7 o’clock. The reverse shows an outer wreath surrounding a central cartouche that reads: 1er PRIX / D’ARITHMETIQUE / OFFERT PAR / LUDGER GRAVEL / MONTREAL. Below is inscribed E. LAMONTAGNE / 1904.

Ludger Gravel (1864-1933) was a Montreal merchant and an avid numismatist who served as a governor of the Montreal Antiquarian and Numismatic Society beginning in 1904. Gravel’s name appears on a number of tokens and medals, many of which are seen with some frequency. This appears to be a much scarcer medal that may precede the usual variety with jugate portraits of Gravel and King Solomon. Both the Suffel and Hendler sales lacked an example. Others exist, but this is the first named example that I have seen. Both sides are flawless with bronze-gold colour.