The nominal value of the pieces might be a little more than the real, to prevent their being melted down, but not so much more as to be an encouragement of counterfeiting. I am, etc., B. FRANKLIN. The Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres "entered on the (p. xvi) discussion with the same alacrity as if the subject had been designed to illustrate the actions of their compatriots, or to immortalize some glorious events in the annals of their own nation."[3] Commissioners, consisting of four of its members, were at once appointed to suggest designs for the three medals asked for Generals Washington, Gates, and Greene.[4] [Footnote 3: See A, page xxxiv.] [Footnote 4: See B, page xxxvi.] Through the courtesy of M. Narcisse Dupré, son of Augustin Dupré, I am enabled to give the contract between his father and Colonel Humphreys for the engraving of the medal for General Greene:[5] [Footnote 5: For the French original see C, page xli.] I, the undersigned, Augustin Dupré, engraver of medals and medallist of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, bind myself to Colonel Humphreys to engrave the medal representing the portrait of General Greene. On the reverse, Victory treading under her feet broken arms, with the legend and the exergue, and I hold myself responsible for any breakage of the dies up to twenty-four medals, and bind myself to furnish one at my own expense (the diameter of the medal to be twenty-four _lignes_). All on the following conditions: That for the two engraved dies of the said medal shall be paid me the sum of two thousand four hundred _livres_, on delivery of the two dies after the twenty-four medals which the Colonel desires have been struck. Done in duplicate between us, in Paris, this nineteenth of November, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five (1785). D. HUMPHREYS. DUPRÉ. On November 25th of the same year, M. Dacier, the perpetual secretary of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, communicated another letter from Colonel Humphreys, in which he requested the Academy to compose designs for three more medals, which had been voted to General Morgan and to Lieutenant-Colonels Washington and Howard. (p. xvii) Commissioners were appointed and designs made for these also.[6] [Footnote 6: See B, page xxxvi.] Colonel Humphreys having returned to America before the medals were finished, their superintendence was undertaken by Mr. Jefferson, as will be seen from the following letter: To the Honourable John JAY, Paris, February 14, 1787. Secretary for Foreign Affairs.