NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: AUGUST 24, 2025

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 34, 2025, Article 15

Numismagram's Jeremy Bostwick sent along these five 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. -Garrett

103198 | GERMANY. Saxe-Römhild. Heinrich III silver Medal. Issued 1698 for his receiving the Danish Order of the Elephant and the title Generalfeldzeugmeister (general of the artillery) by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold the previous year (50mm, 72.81 g, 12h). By Christian Wermuth. HEINRICVS • D • G • DVX SAX • I • C • M • A • & W •, draped and armored bust right // VTRVMQVE MERETVR, Heinrich standing facing, holding up scroll; crowned eagle above, holding scepter in talons; crowned Danish lion to right, holding collar chain of the Order of the Elephant; to left, pile of musical instruments and military implements; in five lines in exergue, CAESAR GENERALEM REI TORMEN / TARIAE PRAEFECTVM CONSTITVIT / AN MDCIIIC REX DANIAE IN / ELEPHANTIN ORD COO / PTAVIT MDCIIC. Wohlfahrt 98006; Merseburger –; Horn Coll. II, 222. PCGS AU Details–Scratch. Deeply toned and with a great deal of original brilliance among the fields, though some light rub on the high points and noted scratch in the reverse field account for the designation. Nevertheless, an extremely rare type, with this cataloger able to locate just one other specimen selling in the past quarter century—the Horn example, a very attractive uncirculated and problem-free piece which sold for a total of €10,800 ($12,244 at the time, after buyer's fee) in Künker 258 (29 January 2015), lot 222. $1,595.

103299 | UNITED STATES & GERMANY. Theodore Roosevelt uniface bronze Plaque. Issued circa 1912. Famous Men series (39mm x 50mm, 29.67 g). By Mayer & Wilhelm in Stuttgart. ROOSEVELT, facing bust in frock coat; below, laurel wreath and eagle, with Union shield on breast, wings spread, head left, and banner in beak (which billows overheard), standing facing // Blank. Edge: Plain. Bernd Kaiser V, 498 corr. (listed as Franklin Roosevelt); Serie berühmter Männer 94; Heidemann –. Choice Mint State. Olive-brown surfaces, with a pleasing matte nature. A rare portrait issue for the 26th president of the United States. $395.

103224 | GERMANY. Ulm. Fisherman's Tournament silver Medal. Issued 1912 to commemorate the completion of the new bridge at the Gänsturm (33mm, 15.18 g, 12h). By Ferdinand Freiherr von Miller in Ulm. NEUE BRÜCKE AM GÄNSTOR / ÜBER DIE DONAU BEI ULM, veduta of Ulm, with the new bridge as the focal point; in three lines in exergue, OKTOBER 1910 BEGONNEN / VOLLENDET 1 JULI / 1912 // Water jousting scene featuring the Ulm sparrow against the winged tailor; ULMER FISCHERSTECHEN below. Edge: 950 SILBER. Nau 280; Wurster Coll. 2093; Heidemann –. PCGS SP-65. Intensely vibrant and glistening, with deep iridescent peripheral toning on both sides. An exceptionally stunning specimen. Tied with just one other example for the finest observed in the overall type in the PCGS census. $645.

103213 | GERMANY, LATVIA & RUSSIA. Fall of Riga cast iron Medal. Issued 1917 (58mm, 49.84 g, 12h). By Karl Goetz in München. RIGA 1917, Russian bear lying on its back right, pierced by sword and wounded by the internal and external conflicts of 1914 through 1917, indicated on each limb // DER / FLÜGELSCHLAG / DER ZEIT (the wingbeat of the times), hourglass, indicating time has expired, held by scythe; chaotic revolutionary forces below. Edge: Some filing marks as made, otherwise plain. Kienast 195; Jones, Dance of Death, 39. PCGS MS-62. Glossy charcoal gray surfaces, with some alluring brilliance throughout. A scarce and popular type. $795.

Owing to its strategic position on the Gulf of Riga, the gulf's namesake city was of vital interest to its controlling Russian forces as well as those of the German Empire, who looked at it as a way to control the Baltic scene. If Germany were able to seize Riga, troops stationed near there could be then redeployed to the western front and France, where Germany believed the war would ultimately be decided. The battle was fought over three days at the beginning of September in 1917, with Germany eventually being victorious and capturing Riga, though the Russian 12th Army was able to escape and retreat. Internally, Russia herself was in turmoil, with Czar Nicholai II and the Romanov ruling family overthrown in February of that year and, just two months after the fall of Riga, the Bolshevik Revolution ("October" Uprising) would occur, sparking Russia's eventually fall to the hands of the Soviets. As indicated by Goetz on this medal, the Russian bear was bearing the wounds of multiple years' worth of internal and external conflicts.

103204 | FRANCE. Cinéma Art Deco bronze award Medal. Issued circa 1928 (68mm, 137.12 g, 12h). By Maurice Delannoy at the Paris mint. Nude female facing, emanating as a projection from an old movie projector; around her is an array of implements and instruments for various plotlines; CINEMA in exergue // Cinema screen between curtains and before seats; area of screen left blank for engraving. Edge: «cornucopia» BRONZE. Jones, Art of the Medal, 425. Mint State. Pleasing brown surfaces. A great type for the cinephile or fan of Art Deco. $295.