Obverse: Features a female allegory seated and writing an expertise on a roll of fabric. Around her are symbols of trade and industry: a microscope, magnifying glass, barrel, cogwheel, scales, and a sack of wheat. The inscription reads:
COMITÉ DES EXPERTISES
(Committee of Expertises).
Engraver: Henri-Auguste Patey.
Reverse: Displays oak and laurel branches tied with a ribbon forming a wreath. Inside the wreath is the inscription:
MINISTÈRE DU COMMERCE ET DE L’INDUSTRIE
LOI DU 27 JUILLET 1822
(Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Law of July 27, 1822).
Edge: Plain, marked 1 ARGENT (Silver) with the cornucopia hallmark of the Paris Mint.
Specifications:
Metal: Silver (.950)
Weight: ~15.7–16 g
Diameter: ~33 mm
Mint: Monnaie de Paris
The medal was not struck in 1822 but commemorates the law enacted that year, which regulated industrial and commercial practices in France.
The Law of July 27, 1822 was part of the Restoration-era economic policy under Prime Minister Joseph de Villèle. Its main purpose was to protect French industry through tariff measures.
Key impacts:
Protectionism: The law imposed high customs duties on imported goods, especially textiles, iron, and other industrial products, to shield French manufacturers from British competition.
Industrial Growth: By limiting foreign imports, it encouraged domestic production and investment in French factories, particularly in textiles and metallurgy.
Economic Conservatism: It reflected the ultra-royalist government's strategy to favor established industrial and financial elites, consolidating their support.
Criticism: Liberals opposed the law, arguing it hindered free trade and raised consumer prices. However, it laid groundwork for France’s gradual industrialization during the 1820s–1830s.
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