NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: MARCH 2023

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V26 2023 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 26, Number 8, February 19, 2023, Article 19

Numismagram's Jeremy Bostwick sent along these four highlights from his recent upload of new material to his website. In addition to the medals below, look for an enchantingly toned French jeton featuring mermaids, a love token on a Seated Liberty dime that is seemingly a San Francisco treat, a medal celebrating the José de San Martín monument in Washington, D.C., and many other delights. For all of the new items, please visit https://www.numismagram.com/inventory. -Editor

102328 | GERMANY & the ENTENTE. Pact of Malice cast bronze Medal. Dated 1915. "Der Bund der Tücke"—on Germany's fight against the "union of deceit" (82mm, 144.00 g, 12h). By K. Goetz in München. DER BVND DER TVECKE (the bond of malice), winged fantastic beast standing right, with numerous allegorical, elongated, serpentine/hydra-like heads: cock (for France), lion (for Belgium and England), bear (for Russia), Snake (for Serbia), and dragon (for Japan); below, figure, nude but for Bersagliere hat, seated with back to viewer, suckling from the beast's teats (an allegory for Italy, as Romulus/Remus suckling the she wolf); MCMXV below / Facing bust of God, holding scythe and resting hand upon and globe; flames of Hell below; across central field in three lines, SCHLAGT IHN TOT! / DAS WELTGERIGHT / FRAGT EVCH NACH DEN / GRVENDEN NICHT! ("Strike him dead! Doomsday asks you not on what grounds" –Heinrich von Kleist). Edge: K•GoeTz. Kienast 160; Klose 8.8; Art of Devastation –; Choice Mint State. Lighter brown surfaces, with great textured relief and highlights; a subtle casting flaw as made on the right of the reverse is noted merely for completeness. Compare to a similar piece, though seemingly not as attractive, graded NGC MS-65 Brown, that realized a total of $1,920 in Heritage auction 61296, lot 22069. $1,465.

Similar to many of Goetz's World War I-era medals, this particular piece—issued in a much larger format than is generally encountered—portrays Germany against seemingly the rest of the world. Here, Goetz sees Germany's then-enemies as this fantastic beast amalgamated from the various allegories associated with them. Meanwhile, on the reverse, the stark aspect of the war, and seemingly the divine right for the Germans, is displayed by the representation of God, holding a scythe and the globe—an indication of His power to smite the enemy and His terrestrial rule. The quote from Heinrich von Kleist merely reinforces that aspect that much more, in the sentiment to "...strike him dead! Doomsday asks you not on what grounds." A haunting and extremely powerful work from the ever-ambitious Goetz.

102215 | UNITED STATES & SPAIN. Christopher Columbus gilt bronze Medal. Issued 1892 for the 400th anniversary of the Columbian discovery of America (40mm, 31.24 g, 12h). By E. Noney. DESCUBRIDOR DEL NUEVO MUNDO / MCDXCII, draped bust left / REINANDO ALFONSO XIII / ESPAÑA, in six lines: IV CENTENARIO / DEL / DESCUBRIMIENTO / DE AMÉRICA / XII OCTUBRE / MDCCCXCII. Edge: Plain. Eglit 433 var. (silver); Rulau B15 var. (same). Choice Mint State. Brassy-yellow surfaces, with rich, mirrored brilliance. Already a very rare and seldom seen Columbian medal, this type is seemingly unpublished in gilt bronze. $295.

During the lead-up to the quadricentennial of Columbus's initial contact with the New World, numerous medals were designed and struck, both in the United States—in conjunction with the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago—and abroad, sometimes for this event or for similar others. In the case here, it was for the celebration back in Spain, for whom Columbus sailed.

102310 | UNITED STATES. San Francisco, California. Panama-Pacific International Exposition silvered bronze award Medal. Issued 1915. Presented at the expo for the "silver" award (70mm, 132.15 g, 12h). By J. Flanagan. Nude male and female (personifications of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans or eastern and western hemispheres) greeting one another as the sun rises over the Panama Canal in the background; DIVINE DISIVNCTA IVNXIT HOMO (the divine difference unites mankind) / PANAMA–PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION SAN-FRANCISCO / MCMXV, façade of the Tower of Jewels within wreath of palm fronds; MEDAL OF AWARD in garnished cartouche below. Edge: A few scattered marks, otherwise plain. Baxter 114; Marqusee 151. About Uncirculated. Silvering mostly intact, with some slight rub and darker hues on the higher points. $375.

Designed by the famous American sculptor John Flanagan (best known in U.S. numismatics as the designer of the Washington quarter), the Panama-Pacific medal was issued as an award for many products and exhibits on display at the expo. Just 2,000 of these were struck and issued in bronze by the U.S. mint, and are now often encountered with spotting, scuffs, and other blemishes. Fewer were silvered as this one, meant to serve as the "silver" prize at the expo. The elegant design features personifications of the two oceans meeting, with the Panama Canal being at their middle. The expo itself was styled as a celebration of the completion of the canal (its first use was just six months before the opening of the expo), but in a wider sense, the fair gave the world a chance to see the recovery of host city San Francisco following the devastation of the 1906 earthquake.

102262 | UNITED STATES & SWEDEN. 300th Anniversary of the Founding of New Sweden along the Delaware River silver Medal. Issued 1937 (56mm, 73.68 g, 12h). By Sv. Nilsson; struck by Sporrong & Co. CALMARE NYCKEL, ship (Kalmar Nyckel) under sail left upon the waters; below, two inward facing dolphins / + IN • MEMORIAM • NOVÆ • SVECIÆ • A • D • MDCXXXVIII • CONDITÆ • POST • TRIA • SÆCVLA • REVOCATAM, highly detailed and decorative map of New Sweden along the Delaware River, with trees, stags, colonists, Native Americans, forts, and a ship; crowned cartouche inscribed NOVA SVECIA to lower right. Edge: SPORRONG. Cf. Rulau Q4 (for the bronze issue). Choice Mint State. Deep pewter-gray surfaces, with a slightly antiqued nature. An extremely interesting colonial American commemorative, with numerous locations referenced, such as Philadelphia, Ft. Nassau, North Wasa, Lapland, Ft. Christina, Ft. Casimir, and Ft. Elfsborg. Very rare in silver, with this being just the third such example observed by this cataloger. $895.

Established during the Thirty Years' War, the colony of New Sweden along the Delaware River lasted for nearly two decades and served as a Scandinavian outpost in colonial America. Encompassing what is now modern-day Southeast Pennsylvania, Southwest New Jersey, and Northern Delaware, numerous locales convey this Swedish history, such as Fort Christina, Fort Casimir, and Swedesboro.