MEDAL SELECTIONS FROM NUMISMAGRAM: POWER STRUGGLES

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V21 2018 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 21, Number 9, March 4, 2018, Article 29

Jeremy Bostwick of Numismagram announced a new listing of interesting pieces for March, with items ranging from a denarius of Roman Emperor Macrinus to a medal commemorating the historical and architectural monuments of Mongolia. He helped my pick a theme for these highlights - here are two medals focusing upon European power struggles from two different time periods.

If you visit the web site, be sure to roll your mouse over the medal images for highly detailed close-up views. -Editor

100241 | FRANCE. Napoleon I bronze Medal. Dated 1807. Creation of the Kingdom of Westphalia (40mm, 38.75 g, 12). By Brenet & Denon. NAPOLEON EMP ET ROI, laureate head right / INJECIT TANDEM FRENA VACANTI, Napoleon standing facing, head right, holding bridled horse rearing rightward from behind him; in two lines in exergue, ERECTION DU ROYAME / DE WESTPHALIE. Edge: Plain. Bramsen 660; Julius 1788; d'Essling 1183. Choice Mint State. Sublime red-brown surfaces, with exceptionally refined artistry and detail.

A fairly short-lived kingdom created by Napoleon and for his brother Jérôme to rule, Westphalia occupied a part of what is now modern-day northern Germany. It was intended to be a model state of egalitarian law not common for its time. Financial issues quickly beset this vassal kingdom, however, and, following Napoleon’s retreat from his failed march on Russia, the kingdom was mostly absorbed into the Prussian kingdom. This medal commemorates Napoleon’s “carving up” of parts of Europe, highly idealized and not in any way indicative of the problems which would beset both him and his fraternal slice of the map only a few years later.

To read the complete item description, see:
100241 | FRANCE. Napoleon I bronze Medal. (https://www.numismagram.com/product-page/100241-france-napoleon-i-bronze-medal)

100219 | GERMANY, GREAT BRITAIN, CHINA & JAPAN. Satirical bronze Medal. Dated 1914. World War I series: The Defense of Jiaozhou (Kiauchau/Kiautschou) (33mm, 15.41 g, 12h). Unsigned. Crowned eagle (representing Germany) perched in oak tree; to lower left, British officer sending monkey (dressed in Japanese unifrom) up the tree in which three other bodies hang lifeless / DER / ENGLÄNDER / UND SEIN JAPANER / "JETZT KLETTRE DU MAL / AUF DIE DEUTSCHE EICHE / UND VERSUCHE, / OB DU IHM NICHT EINE / FEDER AUS DEM SCHWANZ / REISSEN KANNST!" (The Englishman to his Japanese pet: "climb up this oak and see if you can pluck a feather from the eagle's tail!") in nine lines. Edge: Plain. Cf. Zetzmann 4062 (silver). Choice About Uncirculated. Warm reddish-brown surfaces and a light, charming tone. Rare.

Jiaozhou, an important and strategic naval location, became the focus of German interests at the end of the 19th century, and a 99-year lease was signed with the Qing Dynasty for its use by the German Empire. This lease continued after the fall of the former and during the period of its successor, the Republic of China, until the outbreak of World War I, at which point, the Japanese Empire delivered an ultimatum to Germany, demanding that it relinquish control of the region.

This ultimatum was rejected, whereupon Japan began a bombardment of the territory, ultimately resulting in their seizure of Jiaozhou. It was eventually returned to Chinese control in 1922, but was again occupied by the Japanese during World War II. So many conflicts over such a (relatively) small piece of real estate!