Nickle@Noon – Blinding the Tiger: Coin Countermarks, Political Protest and Napoleon Bonaparte

Marina Fischer will discuss how opponents of Napoleon attacked and altered his image on coins after France’s defeat and the fall of the First Empire. Through acts of defacement, satire, and political protest, Napoleon’s coinage became a canvas for expressing public anger and challenging his legacy. These remarkable objects reveal how currency served not only as money, but also as a powerful medium for political expression and popular resistance.

Marina Fischer is Curator of Numismatics at the University of Calgary’s Nickle Galleries, Libraries and Cultural Resources. Her work focuses on the study, interpretation, and public presentation of coins, medals, and money as historical evidence. She has published and presented widely on numismatics, museum collections, and the role of material culture in understanding the ancient and modern worlds. Through exhibitions, teaching, and public programming, Marina works to make numismatic collections accessible to both academic and public audiences.

Image: Napoleon I, 5 Francs with tiger head countermark 1814, France. Photo courtesy of the lender.