Napoleon's Bees Coin Collection

Napoleon’s Bees; harmony, industry, immortality

 To mark the 200th Anniversary of Napoleon’s death, we pay tribute to the humble but powerful icon that symbolised his reign. The bee is symbolic of harmony, working together for a bigger cause. They are pollinators, bringing fertility, and producers of honey, offering the gift of sweetness. Napoleon recognised these important characteristics and used golden bees across his Empire, on his Coat Arms, metalwork, furniture, and ceramics, and in the motifs stitched into his coronation robe.

Inspired by ancient French history; symbols of the industry and harmony of a brave new Empire; decorations upon the cortege of a returning hero. Napoleon’s Bees were, and remain, a powerful icon of a remarkable life and legend.