NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: AUGUST 7, 2022

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V25 2022 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 25, Number 32, August 7, 2022, Article 25

Numismagram's Jeremy Bostwick forwarded these highlights from his most recent addition of medals to his site. In addition to the pieces below, there are some attractively toned French jetons, some medals pertaining to Japan and the Far East, and some high grade award medals from the St. Louis/Louisiana Purchase World's Fair. For all of the new items from this month, please visit numismagram.com/inventory. -Editor

102156 | BELGIUM. Sacred Heart of Jesus bronze Medal. Issued 1914 (64mm, 82.99 g, 12h). By J. Witterwulghe. SACRE COEUR DE JÉSUS PROTEGEZ LA BELGIQUE, Christ seated right on throne, warding off thunderbolt and blessing a female personification of Belgium kneeling left / POUR L'HUMANITÉ / POUR LA PATRIE, fallen Belgian soldier reclining right, reaching out to figure of Christ crucified upon the cross at a distance. Edge: Plain. Choice Mint State. Pleasing brown surfaces, with a light matte nature. $245.

102187 | ETHIOPIA, NORTHEASTERN AFRICA & ITALY. VIII Eritrean Battalion Gold Award Medal. Issued 1916 or shortly thereafter (23mm, 8.02 g, 12h). Soldier facing right, holding rifle with bayonet; trees in background; in foreground, large rock with inscription "VIIIº / BATTAGLIONE / ERITREO" in three lines / Eagle facing, with wings spread and head lowered slightly left; within wings below, vertical alternating bands enameled in red and blue; in four lines below, ADUA 1896 / CIRENAICA 1912–13 / CIRENE MAGGIO 1913 / LIBIA 1915–16. Edge: Plain, with loop attached at the top. Choice Extremely Fine. Pale golden-yellow surfaces, with red-blue enameling fully intact. An extremely rare and attractive medal seemingly without compare. Struck in 18K (75%) gold. Though there are other medals for different battalions and in bronze, the gold issues are exceedingly rare, with no other examples of this particular type—in any metal—able to be located. $1,985.

Following the coalescence of the various Italian city states and subsequent unification under the House of Savoy, the Italian Kingdom began to eye a larger role in the Mediterranean. Ambitions in the northern African coast, as well as southward into the areas of Somalia and Ethiopia, brought about the goals of a regional empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One of the early conflicts, the Battle of Adwa, actually saw the Italian forces repelled–an incredible defeat staged by the victorious Ethiopian Empire. This sovereignty for Ethiopia would continue for another four decades until the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, in which the Italian forces would subdue that of Ethiopia, driving Emperor Haile Selassie into exile. In the interim, Italian goals were not repulsed by the defeat at Adwa, as skirmishes and territorial acquisitions continued throughout the early 20th century. By the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Italy had amassed quite a sphere of influence throughout the southern Mediterranean and northeastern Africa.

This award medal was presented to members of the VIII Eritrean Battalion, which saw action in numerous campaigns in Africa between 1896 and 1916. Despite the defeat at Adwa, this medal seemingly presents a different story, even boasting about it, along with other later victories. Nevertheless, Adwa served as an abject humiliation for Italy's forces, losing to a would-be colony that had inferior resources other than sheer will. Given that gold medals are so incredibly rare among those found for the various Eritrean battalions, it is very likely that this medal would have been awarded to a higher-ranking member of the Italian military who would have participated in these conflicts over the listed 20-year span. As such, an incredibly rare and important piece.

Interesting (and colorful!) piece - see the full description online for more. -Editor

102060 | GERMANY. International Fisheries Exhibition bronze award Medal. Issued 1880 for the expo held in Berlin (73mm, 200.45 g, 12h). By K. Schwenzer. FRIEDRICH WILHELM KRONPRINZ DES DEUTSCHEN REICHS UND VON PREUSSEN, armored bust of Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm left / INTERNATIONALE FISCHEREI–AUSSTELLUNG ZU BERLIN 1880, seminude personification of Berlin seated left on base, holding wreath and rudder, with fishing net draped behind her; in background, numerous ships at sea, with a lighthouse seen at a distance; ZUR ERINNERUNG (in commemoration) above; in exergue, eel between two inward-facing fish. Edge: Plain. Marienburg 10409. Choice Mint State. Chestnut brown surfaces, with a great glossy nature and just a few light marks. $395. A world's fair focusing exclusively upon fisheries and fish culture, this exhibition, held in Berlin in 1880, was presided over by the crown prince of the German Empire, Friedrich Wilhelm, who would succeed his father, Wilhelm I, as emperor just eight years later in 1888. That year, however, would become known as the "year of three emperors," as Friedrich Wilhelm was terminally ill with cancer of the larynx upon his coronation, and would succumb to the disease just three months into his reign, being succeeded by his son, the much less liberal and much more bellicose Wilhelm II.

102070 | GREAT BRITAIN. Tynemouth. North East Coast Exhibition silver Award Medal. Issued 1882 for the expo held 6 September–14 October (51mm, 62.24 g, 12h). By Reid & Sons in Newcastle upon Tyne. • NORTH EAST COAST EXHIBITION • / PRIZE – 1882 – MEDAL, Neptune/Poseidon, holding wreath and trident, in sea carriage being drawn left by two hippocampi; coastline and ship in background / NAVAL / ARCHITECTURE / MARINE / ENGINEERING / FISHERY LIFE SAVING / AND COAST LIGHTING / APPLIANCES ETC / TYNEMOUTH in eight lines; all within combined land and sea wreath comprised of shells, coral, grains, dolphins, and anchor. Edge: Plain. BHM –; Eimer –. Choice Mint State. Rather darkly toned, with some great mirrored brilliance in the fields and a deep iridescence; a few light hairlines are noted for completeness. $795.

I don't like the wordy reverse, but that's great depth and perspective on the obverse. -Editor

102002 | UNITED STATES. Saviours of Liberty bronze Medal/"So-Called Dollar." Issued 1919. Commemorating the allied victory in World War I (44mm, 12h). By R. R. Outhwaite. THE SAVIOURS OF THE LIBERTY OF THE WORLD / 1919, facing upper half of the Statue of Liberty between banners to each side; below, eagle, with wings spread, slightly right upon banner / American troops march left past the Arc de Triomphe; rising sun in background; all within curling from left and composed of composite palm frond and laurel and oak branches. HK 903 (R-6). NGC MS-64. For cert verification, please follow this link: https://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/1928473-020/64/. Just four graded finer in the NGC census. Ex: Richard Jewell Collection. $495.

I wasn't aware of this WWI medal. Nicely done. -Editor