Miniature circular silvered medal with eyelet decorated with lozenges for suspension; the face with the haloed head and shoulders portrait of Joan of Arc facing right, her hands crossed, a sword in her right hand, an escutcheon with her arms to the left, circumscribed ‘BIENHse JEHANNE D’ARC PRIEZ P. LA FRANCE’ (Blessed Joan of Arc, pray for France – Jehanne being the late Mediaeval French form of Jeanne); the reverse with a view of Joan of Arc’s family house at Domrémy in the Vosges, a religious pennant above, dated ‘1431’ and ‘1412’ above and below respectively and ‘1909’ to the right; diameter 20.4mm (0.8 inch); slight pitting and surface wear; without ribbon. Joan of Arc (ca 1412-1431) was a religious visionary and military leader whose extraordinary exploits led to important French victories in the Hundred Years’ War. Executed for heresy, she is today one of France’s patron saints. She was beatified by Pope Pius X at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris on 18 April 1909.
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