artnouveau

postwar

Gold Medals

Coinage through the ages has served the function both of currency (a store and measurement of value) and of medallic proclamation (dissemination of official information).

Is a Ptolemaic octodrachm or a multiple aurei of Constantine a coin or a medallion? The distinction would have been irrelevant to any society for whom money or currency was defined by the weight and purity of precious metal.

However, in our present era of unchecked government issue of paper and electronic money, there is a vast confusion as to the nature of currency. Currency is now a "promise" of value - rather than a store of value. Thus Currency is now a form of debt.

This has led to the confused distinction that modern collectors hold between medallic issues and currency. Until our current era, medals have always been worth exactly their weight in precious metal - just like coins. However, because of their rarity, beauty, and historical importance, medals rather than currency comprised the greater part of most advanced collections.

Royal Proclamation medals were usually crafted by celebrated artists of the era. They were often sculpted in high relief, in tiny mintages, to mark interesting and important historical events. A coin might be considered rare if only a few tens of thousand were minted. A medal is rare is only a few hundred were minted.

In the case of certain large gold presentation medals only a handful were minted for the pleasure of reigning monarchs, and of those, few remain.

POR (price on request) The medals listed below are all of such rarity in high condition they are virtually irreplacable. this makes it difficult to assign a reasonable monetary value.

.......................ROYAL GOLD PAGE 2

From the time of the Stuart kings through to Victoria, gold coronation medals were presented to the royal family and friends invited to the coronation ceremony. Silver medals were tossed to the members of parliament, judges and other dignitaries who lined the front rows of the coronation procession, as well as being handed out to esteemed servants of the Royal Household. Bronze medals were tossed to the rest of the rabble. Edward VII ended the practice of tossing medals as he thought it undignified to see judges and members of parliament diving on the ground to retrieve the precious metal.

James I struck only a silver coronation medal. Charles I was the first to have a very small number of coronation medals struck in gold. The following masterpiece of the engraver's art was minted by master engraver Nicolas Briot who was mintmaster at Paris under Louis XIII. He later fled to England where he introduced the coin press to Charles I. He was appointed mintmaster from 1633-1641.

During the English Civil War (1642-51) both the Parliamentary and Royalist factions commissioned medals to be given in recognition of soldierly valour. The gift of medals, a practise in Britain since the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603), was ritualized. Thomas Rawlins, a pupil of Briot, was appointed Chief Engraver at the Mint by Charles I in 1643and remained loyal to the king even after he had fled London.

In May 1643 Charles ordered a medal made which would be worn 'on the breast of every man who shall be certified under the hands of their Commanders-in-Chief to have done us faithful service in the forlorn hope'. It was also commanded 'that no soldier at anytime do sell nor any of our subjects presume to buy or wear any of these said badges other than they to whom we shall give the same'. The medal shown here, on which are depicted Charles and his wife Henrietta Maria, would also have been worn by a supporter of the royalist cause.

Great Britain, Charles I, (1625-1649)
Official Gold Scottish Coronation Medal 1633, (17.55 g).; 29.00 mm, Engraved by Nicolas Briot: after the painting by Vandyke. CAROLVS · D: G SCOTIAE ANGLIAE · FR · ET · HIB · REX · Crowned bust of Charles I // HINC · NOSTRAE · CREVERE · ROSAE · (Hence have our rose grown). Thistle and rose tree, CORON · I8 ·IVNII 1633 Hawkins I, 60; Medallic llustrations pl.XXII, 2; Extremely rare in gold. Provenance: Spink. Tiny adjustment marks, otherwise:
well struck EF...............sold

Great Britain, Charles I (1625-1649)

Charles and Henrietta Maria, gold Royalist badge ca 1643, by Thomas Rawlins, (21.13g), 38 x 29.6mm. Bust of Charles I right wearing lace collar, CAROLVS. D. G. MAG – BRI - FR. ET. HIB. RX, rev., bust of Henrietta Maria left, her hair elaborately dressed and with small coronet, wearing pearl necklace, figured bodice and drapery; signed T. RAWLINS F below, HENRETTA. MARIA. D. G. MAG. BRITAN. FRAN. ET. HIB. REG, (MI I, 354/215), fine style in high relief and excessively rare in gold - provenance: Sotheby's.

Cast and chased, polished, otherwise:
AU .........................POR

Great Britain, William and Mary (1688-94),

Coronation, 1689, official gold medal, 34mm (17.7gm) unsigned (by John Roettier), conjoined busts right, rev. Jove thunders against Phaeton (James II) who is falling from his chariot,. (E.312; MI.652, 25; Wollaston viii, ill.9) from a mintage of 515. Very rare and certainly one of the finest known.. Provenance: Spink

NEAR UNCIRCULATED.....POR

Great Britain, William and Mary (1688-1694)

Large Gold coronation medal 1689, 32 mm, (31.86 g) Contemporary Dutch strike of the official Roettiers medal for the coronation ceremony. Busts of the royal couple side by side right / Phaeton plunges struck by lightning from his car. Bucket 312, Ill. Med 662.25, van Loon III, 379. Extremely Rare, in remarkable as-struck condition. Acquired through CNG and authenticated by Chris Eimer.

Brilliant Uncirculated................POR

GREAT BRITAIN, Queen Anne (1702-1714)

Official gold Coronation Medal, 1702. 36mm. (18 gm) By John Croker. Obv. Draped bust l. with headband. Rv. The Queen helmeted as Pallas hurls lightning at dissident factions potrayed as the Hydra, VICEM GERIT. ILLA. TONANTIS. Wollaston 10, Eimer 153.5. Rare. From a mintage of 850. Slightly irregular edges as struck, otherwise

Well struck, AU...............$5750

GREAT BRITAIN, Queen Anne (1702-1714),

AV Large victory medal for the Battle of Saragossa 9/20 August, 1710.
( 48.2 mm 55.4 grams). By I.C. (John Croker).Obverse: Laureate bust of Anne left. Reverse: Queen seated on throne, with Britannia introducing Victory presenting captured standards. The battle of Saragossa was a decisive victory by England over the Spain in the war of Spanish Succession. Med Ill. II.p. 373, 219 (plate CXXXII, 12). Excessively rare large gold presentation piece. ex-Goldberg Auctions. Minor edge marks, otherwise:

AU, Lustrous and prooflike......... POR.

GREAT BRITAIN. Queen Anne. 1702-1714.

AV Large Presentation Medal Peace of Utrecht (59mm, 72.28 g). By J. Croker. Dated 1713 in Roman numerals. · ANNA · D : G : MAG : BRI : FR : ET · HIB : REG laureate, draped, and mantled bust left / COMPOSITIS · VENERAN TVR · ARMIS · ([peace] they honor by laying aside their arms), Britannia seated with olive branch and spear; to left, three ships under sail; to right, another ship and men plowing and sowing seeds; MDCCXIII in exergue. MI 399/256; Eimer 458. Excessively rare. Minted to celebrate the Peace Conference to end the Europe-wide War of Spanish Succession. Smaller gold medals (22 g.) of different dies were presented to Members of Parliament. This large gold medal was presumably presented to a dignitary of much higher station. Ex-Zaar Maritime Collection.

Proof UNC, lustrous....................POR

Great Britain, George I. 1714-1727.

AV Official Gold Coronation Medal (22.20 g,) John Croker, engraver. Dated 20 October 1714. bust right; J. C. on truncation of arm / George enthroned right, holding scepter and globus, being crowned by Britannia standing left, holding shield and spear. Hawkins pl. CXXXIX, 9; Eimer 470. Very Rare. From a mintage of 330.
some light contact marks in fields, otherwise

NGC MS61.............................POR

Great Britain, George II (1727-60)

Coronation, 1727, official gold medal 35mm by John Croker, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left, signed IC on truncation, rev.the king enthroned, crowned by Britannia,. (E.510; MI. 479, 4; Wollaston xi, ill.12) Very Rare from a mintage of 238 - amongst the finest known. Provenance: Spink

BRILLIANT PL UNC..........POR

Great Britain, George III (1760-1820) (and the last King of America 1760-1776)

Coronation, 1761, Official gold medal by
L. Natter, 34mm, (23.45g)
laureate bust in armour right, rev. Britannia crowning George III, BHM 23; E 694.
Rare. From a mintage of 858.
Provenance: Kroisos Collection
beautifully toned

NGC MS62 ..................POR

Great Britain, George III, (1760-1820)

Gold Medal of Honor 1765, 36mm, (37.47 g) By Thomas Pingo. Awarded under the Marquess of Granby, hero of the 7 Years War, and Master of Ordnance (Commander of Military Operations) Obv: Laureate George III . Under the Auspices of George III, great Prince, Father of the Country. Rev. PRAEMIA LAUDI, Award of Honor, Minerva flanked by owl and Palladium, exergue hails Marquess of Granby, General. Extremely rare in gold. BHM 93 (silver). Ex Stacks

Uncirculated.............POR

Great Britain, George III, (1760-1820)

1802, Gold Presentation Medal, 36mm, (22.98g) Testimony of Gratitude, presented to The Rev John Gatliffe, Chaplain Royal of the Manchester and Salford Royal Light Horse Volunteers - who patrolled their region guarding against imminent Napoleonic invasion. George III right, linked border with hearts and open hands, each interspersed, rev A TESTIMENT OF GRATITUDE …, engraved naming in scrolls, REVD INO GATLIFFE CHAPLAIN ROYAL, (Payne 217; Tancred 374). Of the highest Rarity and of great historical interest:: "These very interesting decorations are now almost the only memorials existing of the patriotic exertions of the people of the British Islands... It is regretted that of the many medals issued, not a single specimen can now be found..." quoted from War Medals of the British Army by Thomas Carter (1893). Prov: Baldwins.

Prooflike AU....................POR

Battle of Copenhagen - Christian VII of Denmark (1766-1801)

Gold medal dated April 1801, 39 mm (41.4 Gms) by D.F. or F.W. Loos. A warrior in (Holy) Roman garb receives a sword from personified justice. A warrior fights against a sea monster (Britain,) Bergsoe 32 (silver). Excessively Rare gold medal to commemorate the bravery of the Danish troops in resisting Admiral Nelson of Britain in an ultimately losing battle which forced Denmark, Sweden, Russia and Prussia to accept British Maritime Law. Nelson turned the tide of battle after lifting his telescope to his blind eye in order to ignore the signal flag ordering him to retreat: hence the expression: "turning a blind eye." Ex Kuenker.

Uncirculated......................POR

Great Britain, George IV, (1820-1830)

Proof official gold coronation medal, 1821, (36 g) by B. Pistrucci, laur. bust l., rev. king enthroned, crowned by Victory before him stand Britannia, Hibernia and Scotia (Eimer 1146) From a mintage of 1040 - though quite rare in this superb state of preservation.

Provenance: Kroisos collection. (absurdly undergraded)

NGC PROOF62.....................POR

FRANCE, Louis XIV, 1643-1715.

Médaille d'or 1654. (4.2 g).; 16.00 mm. Cérémonie du lendemain du Sacre à Reims, le 7 juin 1654. Attribué à Jean Warrin. L · XIIII · D. G · F · ET · N · R · S · D · VII · IVN · 1654. Buste du Roi , I · V · F · // LVMEN DE NVMINE - DE LVMINE NVMEN (La lumière venue du ciel fait du roi un être divin). Le roi agenouillé, CH · IN · / COR · D · / P · SP · / SANC · (La charité répandue dans son coeur par le Saint-Esprit). De chaque côté, la Foi et l'Espérance tiennent une couronne élevée au-dessus du roi; duquel descend le Saint-Esprit avec la Sainte-Ampoule. Tranche lisse. Excessively rare. Ex Hess Divo
About uncirculated....... POR

FRANCE, LOUIS XV (1715-1774)

Gold marriage medal (30.96gm) 35mm
Rev: the future Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Obv: Louis XV, Signed by the artist Joseph Roettiers \ 16 MAI 1770 / LUDOVICUS XV REX CHRISTIANISSIMUS / SACRUM AETERNAE CONCORDIAE PIGNUS
Extremely Rare, and of great historical significance - beautifully toned, a few light marks, otherwise

About Uncirculated...................POR

France, Premier Empire, Napoleon Bonaparte, 1804-1814.

Gold Medal Dec 5th 1804: Allegiance of the Army after the coronation. (14.65g) OBV: NAPOLEON EMPEREUR. Laureated head, to the left. Beneath: DENON D. (direxit). DROZ F. (fecit). R: DRAPEAUX DONNES A L'ARMEE PAR NAPOLEON IER. (Presentation of standards to the army by Napoleon the First.) Napoleon, standing on a suggestus or platform, before a curule-chair, distributes the standard-eagles to the representatives of the army, who take the oath of allegiance. Behind the platform stands an adjutant holding several colours. Exergue: AU CHAMP DE MARS LE 14 FRIM: (Frimaire) AN XIII. (At the field of Mars the 14th Frimaire, year XIII - December 5, 1804). Beneath: DEN. DIR. JF. F. (Denon direxit, Jeuffroy fecit). Edwards - 55 Plate IV. No. 5 (Br. and silver only) Extremely Rare in gold, and of great historical interest.

Lusterous AU.....................POR

ARGENTINA. Citly of La Plata 1808.

Anti-Napoleonic, Ferdinand VII Gold Proclamation Medal of 8 Escudos to hail the Accession of Ferdinand VII as King of Spain, while he is being held in prison by Napoleon.

Gold, 38 mm; (26.6gms). Created by Alferaz Real (royal moneyer) Domingode Anibarro with input of la Real Academia Carolina under Director Don Jose Augustin de Elasozy Mozi. Crowned Spanish lion rampant holds castle over prostrate Napoleonic double eagle whose crown rolls away, titles of the new King form the legend: Rev: Arms of city, skewered imperial eagle over two pillars, three mountains, four castles, five severed heads. Of the highest rarity in Gold Herrera 311 in silver. Ex Bowers.

ALMOST UNCIRCULATED...POR

FRANCE, Louis XVIII, première restauration (1814-1815),

AV médaille, (62,54g.) 41 mm. 1814, signed (both sides) by Andrieu. Creation of the French Constitutional Charter: 4 juin 1814. Louis head rt. R: Louis XVIII upon his throne, presenting the Constitutional Charter to a peer and a deputy of France. Ref.: Collignon, 37 (AE). Excessively rare in gold, superbly crafted in high relief and of great historical import. Ex Kuenker

UNC................................POR

FRANCE, Charles X, second restoration,. (1824-1830)

1824 Accession Medal. Gold, 41.1mm, (54.2 grams.) Signed By Mathias Nicolas Marie Vivier and Pierre Leveque.

Obv. Elegant bare head l. of former Comte d’Artois, brother of Louis XVIII and last ruling member of the senior branch of the Bourbons, CHARLES X ROI DE FRANCE – LE 16 SEPTbre. 1824. Two-line inscription, CHARLES/ LE BIEN AIMÉ. Extremely rare in gold. Ex Spink

Prooflike AU.............POR

The Holy Roman Empire is founded by Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards in 800. It is ruled by the Ottos through the turn of the millenium when Christianity spread throughout Europe with a vengeance. Rudolph I is the first Habsburg to ascend the throne in 1283. The Habsburg grip on the Empire was solidified by Frederick III in 1440, and extended through Francis II in 1806. During this period the empire included: Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Bohemia, Benelux, Serbia, Croatia, Burgundy, and at times, Spain and Switzerland etc. For example, Joseph I was titled thusly:

Joseph I, by the grace of God elected Holy Roman Emperor, forever August, King in Germany, King of Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Rama, Serbia, Galicia, Lodomeria, Cumania and Bulgaria, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Margrave of Moravia, Duke of Luxemburg, of the Higher and Lower Silesia, of Württemberg and Teck, Prince of Swabia, Count of Habsburg, Tyrol, Kyburg and Goritia, Marquess of the Holy Roman Empire, Burgovia, the Higher and Lower Lusace, Lord of the Marquisate of Slavonia, of Port Naon and Salines, etc. etc.

LOMBARDS, Charlemagne, king of the Franks, with Grimoald III, 788-806.
AV Tremissis (17mm, 1.28 g, 6h). Beneventum mint. Crowned facing bust, holding globus cruciger / Cross potent; ς R flanking, four pellets above, pellets flanking base. Oddy 444 (same reverse die); CNI XVIII, 8 (same dies); BMC Vandals 1 (same reverse die); MEC 1, 1098 (same dies). Very Rare From the TJH Collection. Charlemagne's only gold coinage. Not necessarily a coronation medal, but then... who knows for sure?

Toned NEAR EF.......................sold

HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,
Matthias Emperor (1612-1619)

Two uniface trial strike medals in gold 38 mm and (3.2 g each) for the Coronation Medal of Matthias of the House of Habsburg, and his wife Archduchess Anna of Austria as Emperor and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire in Franfort. Dated: 24 Jun, 1612

Slg. Mont. -. JuF 320, Förschner 34,1
Of the highest rarity, perhaps unique.
superb late renaissance style. Ex Hess Divo

UNCIRCULTED..................POR

HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,
Joseph I, Emperor (1690-1711)

Gold Coronation Medal of 8 Dukats, 1690. (26 grams) Lettered edge. 35 mm.. By Georg Hautsch. Joseph I Coronation. Laureate bust of Joseph right. Reverse: Coronation insignia on cushion. Excessively rare.

Mont. 1215; Julius 543 (both in silver)

NGC graded MS-62............. POR

HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,
Charles VI Emperor (1711-1740)

Medal of 6 Ducats 1714, (20.86g,) 32 mm, by P.H. Muller, Issued in Baden to commemorate the Peace of Rastatt and the treaty of Baden that ended the War of Spanish Succession with Louis XIV of France, and Queen Anne of England. Charles VI facing right/Olive tree with flags and arms, Berstett 533, Forster 787 (in silver)
Excessively Rare - only a handful known in gold, minted for the treaty conference in Baden. Ex Stacks.

Toned Prooflike UNC..............POR

HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,
Charles VI Emperor (1711-1740) Marriage of Maria Theresa to Franz of Lorraine.

3 Dukat medal (10.43g.), Dated 1736. Vienna. Engraved by M. Donner. Conjoined busts/ Hymen with cross and two burning hearts on alter.
3rd Slg. Julius 1577. Slg. Mont. 1669 (AG). Rare in gold.

Graded: NGC AU 55......$3750

HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,
Francis I, Emperor (1745-1765)

Dukat, (3.36g) issued in Frankfort, 1745, to commemorate the coronation ceremony in Frankfort October 4th, 1745. Signed by the celebrated medallic artist Johann Leonhard Oexlein.

Rare.

NGC AU 58...................$2800

HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,
JOSEPH II (1765-1790)

AV médaille, 1760, (10,28g.) 28 mm. sigend by the artist A. Wideman. Mariage de l'archiduc Joseph et d'Isabelle de Bourbon-Parme à Vienne. Droit : B. accolés des époux Revers : FELIX CONNVBIVM Hymen debout, avec deux couronnes et allumant sa torche à l'autel de l'amour. Mont. 1893 (AR); Schaumz. cfr 144; Slg. Julius 2643.
Tres Rare.

AU................................POR