NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: JANUARY 19, 2025

Jeremy Bostwick at Numismagram forwarded these four medals from his upload of new medallic art to his site. Great medals! For all of the new items, please visit https://www.numismagram.com/inventory. -Editor

102936 | GERMANY. Regensburg. The Walhalla bronze Medal. Issued 1859. Most Remarkable Edifices of Europe series (59mm, 12h). By Jacques Wiener in Brussels and struck at the Geerts mint in Ixelles. DIE WALHALLA, exterior view of the building, face-on, from an eyepoint directly centered in front of the structure; DER GRUNDSTEIN GELEGT / DEN 18 OCTOBER 1830 / VON LUDWIG / KÖNIGE VON BAIERN in four lines in exergue // EINGEWEIHT DEN 18 OCTOBER / 1842 | BARON VON KLENZE ARCH, interior view down the long axis of the hall towards opisthodomos. Ross M222 (R1); van Hoydonck 169; Reinecke 95. PCGS SP-64. Rich red-brown surfaces, with a tremendous glossy nature. $495.

From what is today eastern Netherlands and western Germany, the Wieners were a Jewish family of exceptional medalists, especially known for numerous numismatic works throughout the Kingdom of Belgium. Eldest brother Jacques, along with younger brothers Leopold and Charles, created some of the finest works of medallic art of the 19th century, and all are particularly noted for their work in the highly detailed and intricate work of architectural renderings.

102922 | GREAT BRITAIN. Tynemouth. North East Coast Exhibition silver Award Medal. Issued 1882 for the expo held 6 September–14 October (51mm, 12h). By Reid & Sons in Newcastle upon Tyne. • NORTH EAST COAST EXHIBITION • / PRIZE – 1882 – MEDAL, Neptune/Poseidon, holding a wreath and a trident, in a sea carriage being drawn left by two hippocampi; coastline and ship in the background // NAVAL / ARCHITECTURE / MARINE / ENGINEERING / FISHERY LIFE SAVING / AND COAST LIGHTING / APPLIANCES ETC / TYNEMOUTH in eight lines; all within a combined land and sea wreath comprised of shells, coral, grains, dolphins, and an anchor. BHM –; Eimer –. PCGS SP-61. Deeper gray surfaces, with some hints of cobalt and scattered brilliance in the fields. A rare and interesting piece. $695.

103064 | SWEDEN. Stockholm. Vårfest aluminum Medal. Issued circa 1893/4. Commemorating the initial Vårfest (spring festival) held at Skansen (31mm, 4.11 g, 12h). By August Högel. A Skansen runestone, carved with a cross, serpents, and runes reading "KIIN ÞIK SIALFAN" (know thyself); NORDISKA / MUS??T in two lines in exergue // MINNE FRÅN SKANSENS VÅRFEST (to commemorate the spring festival at Skansen), two daffodils tied near their base. Edge: Plain. Gustafsson 1:7. Gem Mint State. Exceptionally prooflike and lustrous, with alluring frosting on the devices. An early use of aluminum for medals. $145.

In an effort to create more interest in a Swedish national day, Artur Hazelius, the founder of the Nordiska Museet (Nordic Museum) and the Skansen, Sweden's first open-air museum and zoo located on the island of Djurgården in Stockholm, planned a vårfest (spring festival) to be held at Skansen. This fest had its final day on 5 June, with 6 June already being recognized as Gustafsdagen (Gustav's Day). Eventually, the latter became Sweden's national day, being known as Swedish Flag Day until 1983, then simply as Sveriges nationaldag (Swedish national day). For more information on this medal and the vårfest, see "Svensk Numismatisk Tidskrift" 4 (2011), p. 83.

102939 | GERMANY, CHINA, SCANDINAVIA & UNITED STATES. Wilson's Successes cast bronze Medal. Dated 1917. "Wilsons Werbung bei den Neutralen"—on President Wilson's attempts to convince neutrals to declare war upon Germany (57mm, 59.98 g, 12h). By Karl Goetz in München. WERBUNG, Wilson, in the guise of Uncle Sam, standing left, cradling palm frond while pointing to face, and enticing coiled dragon to left (representing China) // WILSON'S ERFOLGE (Wilson's Successes), neutral parties, with their backs facing, sit on bench, as if on the sidelines: Scandinavia (holding newspaper reading "Scandinavian neutrality), the Netherlands (holding tulip), Spain (wearing sombrero), and Switzerland (holding crossbow). Edge: Some filing marks as made, otherwise plain. Kienast 194; Klose 8.35; Art of Devastation –. Mint State. Deep olive-brown surfaces, with some light rub upon the high points and some dusty gray-green in the recesses. $565.

Here, Goetz presents American President Woodrow Wilson as Uncle Sam, charming a dragon to left meant to represent the Republic of China. Indeed, China declared war upon Germany in August 1917, though it was of little consequence given the geographical difference. Meanwhile, Wilson's attempts to court other neutrals did not succeed, with Goetz satirizing this aspect on the reverse, with caricatures of the various neutral countries or regions, turning their backs, with their posteriors in full display, to the Americans.