NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: JANUARY 21, 2024

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V27 2024 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 27, Number 3, January 21, 2024, Article 15

Numismagram's Jeremy Bostwick passed along these four medals from his most recent upload of new material to his site. For all of the new items, please visit https://www.numismagram.com/inventory. -Editor

102703 | BOHEMIA. Czechoslovakian Folklore bronze Medal of Merit. Issued 1895 for the exhibition held in Prague, and awarded to the staff of the steward service (55mm, 72.83 g, 12h). By V. Šantrucek & I. B. Pichl. NÁRODOPISNÁ VÝSTAVA CESKOSLOVANSKÁ V PRAZE, female figure in traditional attire kneeling right, removing garment from chest; MDCCCXCV in exergue // Male figure kneeling right, holding linden branch overhead; ZÁSLUZE / O. N. V. C. in two lines to right. Edge: Plain. Hauser 3785. Choice Mint State. Rich red-brown surfaces, with a great glossy nature in the fields and charming relief. $195.

102660 | SWEDEN & FINLAND. "Only One Earth" multi-piece bronze Medal. Issued 1972 for the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm (49mm, 227.80 g, 12h). By K. Räsänen for Sporrong. Top piece, obverse: Facing female head, slightly left of center, with hair billowing in the wind (indicative of environmental influences) // Top piece, reverse: ONLY ONE EARTH EN ENDA VÄRLD, nude female (Mother Earth) curled left in fetal position within oval-like shape in relief and with lines of longitude and latitude /// Bottom piece, obverse: Nude female crouching slightly right, protecting her face with her left hand // Bottom piece, reverse: UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT 5. – 16. 6. 1972, the same nude female from the reverse of the other piece, this time curled right in fetal position within oval-like shape, all in incuse and without the gridlines. Edge: 1747•3500 / SPORRONG. Hackl & Klose 37. As made. Brassy-dark brown surfaces, with great brilliance and a two-toned nature. Includes original box of issue, as well as certificate of authenticity. A very moving and thought-provoking multi-piece medal that was very much the calling-card of Räsänen. $225.

Räsänen's interesting take on the environmental movement came at a time of greater appreciation for the frailty of the Earth and the irreparable damage which man can and has created. This multi-piece medal was made in conjunction with the conference held by the United Nations in 1972, even featuring their logo upon it.

102659 | SWEDEN. Göteborg Numismatic Association bronze Medal. Issued 1973. Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the association (55mm, 100.11 g, 12h). By G. Svensson-Lundkvist at the Royal Swedish mint. Oversized klippe issue in high relief surrounded by numerous other coins in stacks; issues represented include Greek and Roman ancients, some medieval hammered, and modern machine struck coinage // GÖTEBORGS NUMISMATISKA FÖRENING 1943–1973, two ships approaching the docks; seagulls flying in the foreground above two fish; various modern Swedish coins around to left. Edge: MV BRONS 1973. Gem Mint State. Alluring olive-brown surfaces, with great intricacy and depth. $195.

Featuring a wide variety of coinage from ancient to modern, this ambitious design presents great detail and allows the most advanced numismatist a chance to determine as many discernable types as possible.

102588 | GREAT BRITAIN & SWEDEN. Björn Borg pentagonal enameled cast bronze Medal. Issued 1981. Commemorating his five consecutive Wimbledon men's championships (81mm x 77mm, 150.20 g, 12h). By F. Rich. Head left, wearing headband; all over BJORN / BORG in two lines in background; around, headshots of Borg celebrating with his trophy for each of five different years // FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS MENS SINGLES CHAMPION / WIMBLEDON 1976–1980, bird's-eye view of Centre Court, with various spectators (some of whom hold parasols) looking upon the court, which is enameled brightly in green. Edge: Plain. "The Medal" 2 (1982), p. 8; "De Beeldenaar" –; "Svensk Numismatisk Tidskrift" –. Essentially as made. Deeper brown recesses, with lighter hues upon the higher points; full enameling on the tennis court. Great relief between the convex and concave nature. Incredibly rare, with an unknown, but almost certainly miniscule, number of examples produced. Seemingly unpublished save for its brief mention in the second issue of "The Medal". $1,495.

Before the likes of Sampras, Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic would come to dominate men's tennis, Björn Borg left an awe-inspiring impression upon a sport that had not seen anything like it. Not only did he win six titles at Roland Garros (the French Open), four of which were consecutive, he won five consecutive titles at Wimbledon, taking it each year from 1976 through 1980. Though retiring rather shockingly at the age of just 25, he amassed an incredible winning resumé in a brief career. In Mark Jones's article in issue 2 of "The Medal," he mentions this design as making an appearance at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1982, writing that "Fred Rich's 'Bjorn Borg', which won the Royal Society of Arts medal bursary in 1981 was, unfortunately, shown with the less impressive, portrait side up–concealing the highly original reverse, with its bird's eye view of the Centre Court, surrounded by a forest of intent heads and highlighted by silver inlaid in bronze." Despite Jones's take on this medal's obverse, its intriguing and highly interesting nature, both obverse and reverse, cannot be understated. Only its sheer rarity can rival its enigmatic design, as this cataloger has been unable to trace any other mentions of the type, for sale in the past or otherwise.