Gargoyle Type II – Notre Dame 2 oz Silver Round
With its chin resting in its hands and its wings rising behind it, this watchful creature seems to contemplate the rooftops of Paris. The Notre Dame Type II round brings that expressive architectural subject to ultra-high relief in 2 troy ounces of .999 fine silver.
The Creatures Above Paris
Notre-Dame’s fantastic stone figures tell two different architectural stories. True gargoyles carry rainwater away from the building, helping protect the walls below. The ornamental creatures known as chimères have a different purpose: they contribute character and imagination to the cathedral’s silhouette.
The famous chimères were introduced during Eugène Viollet-le-Duc’s nineteenth-century restoration, rather than surviving unchanged from the Middle Ages. Their Gothic-inspired forms show how a later generation reimagined medieval architecture. The contemplative, winged figure on this round belongs to that familiar visual world—a creature poised between a monument and the living city beneath it.
Obverse Design
A horned, winged figure rests its face in its hands while looking across a Parisian cityscape. The projecting head, fingers, and patterned wings create a strong foreground, with buildings receding behind them. “NOTRE-DAME” curves along the upper-left rim. The contrast between the creature’s expression and its elevated view gives the design an unusually thoughtful mood.
Reverse Design
The shared Gargoyles of the World reverse surrounds the series name with Gothic-style window tracery. A small gargoyle perches on the lettering, and the hallmark appears along the lower circumference. The architectural frame connects this Parisian subject to the other creatures in the collection.
Specifications
- Weight: 2.00 troy ounces
- Metal: .999 fine silver
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Thickness: approximately 6 mm
- Edge: Reeded
- Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated
- Relief: Ultra-High Relief
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