NUMISMATIC NUGGETS: MAY 17, 2020

1792 Denmark End of Slave Trade Medal

I'd love to tell everyone about a very fun purchase I made for a customer this past week. I normally don't do this (and I did get the approval of said customer) but this was just such an exciting buy that I want to share. I participated in the Bruun Rasmussen auction in Denmark a few days ago. There was an incredible selection of coins and medals from the Zinck collection. A majority of the collection had been sold and this was some of the remaining pieces.

Lot 496 caught my eye early on in the auction. It was a commemoration medal of the end of the Atlantic slave trade in 1792. Denmark was the first country to abolish the slave trade and this medal is an important indicator in the historical timeline. Although the official law abolishing slavery in Denmark did not occur until 1803, the 1792 Edict of Crown Prince Frederik VI was the first proverbial line in the sand. In January 2018 the Colonial Williamsburg museum acquired one of these exceedingly rare medals. Lot 496 came from a 1930 Copenhagen auction so this was in private hands for many years. Acquiring this medal was really one of the more exciting things I have done in awhile. I know my customer will likely share this medal in some powerful way in the future.

The latin phrase on the obverse "Me Miserum" ("Woe is me" or "Poor me") encircles a naturalistic portrait of an African slave. The reverse image shows the mythological winged goddess Nemesis, who was thought to be the avenging goddess of divine indignation against and retribution for evil deeds and undeserved good fortune. She is depicted seated and facing forward on a platform decorated with a shield that bears her name while holding an apple branch in one hand and touching her wing with the other. The Latin legends indicate the medal was produced under the Danish King's law and includes the date of the edict, March 16, 1792. (This last sentence was taken directly from Auction Daily News 2018).

To visit Shanna's web site, see:
https://www.shannaschmidt.com/

Rejoice Oh Young Man In Thy Youth Medal

Society of Medalists medal number 13 from 1936 Bronze 73mm in very good condition with a mintage of just 1,001 by artist R. Tait McKenzie sculptor. Rejoice Oh Young Man In Thy Youth. With view nude male shot putter and runners. Buyer pays $3.95 postage. South Carolina residents add 8% sales tax.

To read the complete lot description, see:
1936 Society Of Medalists #13 Medal Olympic 73mm R Tait McKenzie (https://www.ebay.com/itm/1936-Society-Of-Medalists-13-Medal-Olympic-73mm-R-Tait-McKenzie/383538208327)

1997 Framed Boggs $500 and $1000 Bills

We are excited to offer a piece of numismatic and artistic legend. We have a framed set of $500 and $1000 Boggs Bills. James Stephen George Boggs' signature appears as Secretary of the Treasury on both bills. American Numismatic Association, N.Y.C. is printed on the $500. The back of both bills include Boggs' blue and black inked thumbprints alongside his signature as JSG Boggs. Boggs created works of art that closely resembled paper currency; he would then try to use them to pay for goods or services. He did not call his single sided works of art money, but he did place a value on them that matched their face value. It was then up to the potential recipient as to whether or not to accept the work of art as payment. Boggs was said to have used these two bills to pay for dental work. This is an opportunity to own two high denomination Boggs Bills used in a single transaction.

To read the complete item description, see:
Currency 1997 Boggs $500 and $1000 (https://www.northeastcoin.com/popupcontainer.jsp?include=vi&itemKey=zi34_12233230)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web