1690 France Louis XIV AE Damascened Medal on the Battle of Beachy Head

1690 France Louis XIV AE Damascened Medal on the Battle of Beachy Head, by J. Roettiers and H. Roussel. Plain edge.
LUDOVICUS MAGNUS REX CHRISTIANISSIMUS, laureate armored and draped older bust right, R below || MERSA ET FVGATA ANGLORVM ET BATAV CLASSE, standing winged victory holding a wreath and palm branch on sterns of stranded ships exhibiting Dutch and English flags, AD ORAS ANGLIAE MDCXC below in exergue.
72mm, 149.14g. Divo-.
In uncirculated condition, with gilding largely intact. A choice example with lovely chocolate brown surfaces. An extremely rare type that has never been offered publicly as a damascened example.

Expertly damascened, a famed technique popular in the Baroque era, particularly in France. The raised surfaces have been carefully gilded in gold, creating a striking and beautiful bicolor appearance. These medals are extremely rare and were used as presentation pieces in the French Court.

The Battle of Beachy Head was a major French naval victory over the English and Dutch during the Nine Years’ War. During this war, the Grand Alliance, a coalition of European powers including England, the Dutch Republic, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire, sought to contain French expansion. In July of 1690, a French fleet of approximately 70 ships under the command of Admiral Anne Hilarion de Tourville decisively defeated a smaller Anglo-Dutch fleet off Beachy Head on the southern coast of England. While this victory temporarily secured French naval superiority in the English channel, King Louis XIV failed to fully capitalize on this opportunity with an invasion of England and the Allied fleets were allowed to recover.