Augustin Dupré

The medal's obverse bears portrait of Jones in uniform, facing right. Around, JOANNI  PAVLO JONES / CLASSIS PRAEFECTO. / COMITIA AMERICANA.; signed under truncation, DUPRE. F.

The reverse bears smoking Bonhomme Richard, holed and with broken mast, facing left, in front of the foremast and bowsprit of Serapis; fighting sailors and rubbish are visible in the water and Alliance resides in the background. Around, HOSTIVM NAVIBVS - CAPTIS AVT FVGATIS.; in exergue, AD ORAM SCOTIAE XXIII SEPT. / M.DCCLXXVIIII · / DUPRE. F.

The Battle of Flamborough Head was a naval battle that took place on 23 September 1779 in the North Sea off the coast of Yorkshire between a combined Franco-American squadron, led by Continental Navy officer John Paul Jones, and two British escort vessels protecting a large merchant convoy. It became one of the most celebrated naval actions of the war, despite its relatively small size and considerable dispute over what had actually occurred.  Regardless, the myth of the battle is as important or maybe even more important than the actual battle.

Jones commanded a small squadron from the ship Bonhomme Richard, a converted India Trader.  When they ran into a large Baltic trade convoy under the protection of the HMS Seraphis and the hired vessel Countess of Scarborough,

Jones decided to attack.  With his ship outgunned and outclassed, he strove to equalize the odds by locking the ships together and engaging in close quarters combat.  With Jones' ship burning and sinking beneath him and most of his crew killed, so the story has it, Jones rejected requests for surrender by shouting "I have not yet begun to fight!" and "I may sink but I'll be damned if I strike!" 

When a lucky grenade caused a chain reaction of explosions on the British vessel, the USS Alliance finally joined the fight and the Seraphis surrendered.

The battle, while strategically unimportant, had a huge effect on the morale of the American and French Navies. The seemingly invincible British navy could be defeated in messy, gutsy battle.

As all Comitia Americana medals, there are numerous restrikes, both by the French Mint and the U.S. Mint, and I am not a specialist in this area of numismatics. Maybe a reader can help out with a guide on how to distinguish originals from later copies.

The obverse bears bust of Franklin, left. Around, BENJ. FRANKLIN NATUS BOSTON. XVII JAN. / MDCCVI; signed on truncation, DUPRE. F

The reverse bears nude winged genius, broken crown and scepter at his feet, lightning striking towards rotunda at left. Around, ERIPUIT COELO FULMEN - SCEPTRUM QUE TYRANNIS; in exergue, SCULPSIT ET DICAVIT / AUG. DUPRE ANNO / MDCCLXXXIV

The latin legend around the reverse can be translated to "He seized lightning from the heavens and the scepter from tyrants." The legend in the exergue translates to "Engraved and dedicated by Augustin Dupré in the year 1784"

Franklin had been sent to Paris in 1776 to negotiate an alliance with France and had quickly become a hugely popular figure. Adams and Bentley conclude that this medal was sponsored by a private friend (or group of friends) to honor him.

A second medal, also engraved by Dupré, was issued two years later. Both medals share the same obverse die and the same reverse inscription, but where the earlier medal features the winged genius on the reverse, the later one merely features an oak wreath. That later version was sponsored by Louis XVI.

As with many of the early American medals that were originally struck in France, there are numerous later restrikes.  I do not yet have the expertise to distinguish an early original from a later restrike. Maybe someone with the requisite experience can help out. If I'm correct, this medal is usually referred to as Betts-619.