NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: JANUARY 11, 2026

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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 2, 2026, Article 15

Numismagram's Jeremy Bostwick sent 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. -Garrett

103379 | MEXICO. Maximiliano I & Carlota silver Medal. Issued 1867. Memorial to Maximiliano (30mm, 10.88 g, 12h). By Cayetano Ocampo.

MAXIMILIANO Y CARLOTA EMPERADORES, jugate bare heads left of Maximiliano and Carlota; laurel branch to left and right // 12 / DE JUNIO / DE 1864 / 19 / DE JUNIO / DE 1867 in six lines; all within garlanded laurel and oak wreath. Edge: Plain.

Grove 133a. About Uncirculated. Deep gunmetal gray surfaces, with some light rub upon the high points; a few lightly scattered marks and two cuds at the edge are noted for completeness. Compare to an NGC MS-61 which realized a total of $2,520 in October 2025.

Maximiliano was of Austrian descent from the mighty Habsburg ruling family (he was a younger brother of Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph), and was installed as the Emperor of Mexico under the auspices of the French—the latter hoping to extend their influence in Mexico. The empire was short lived, however, as Maximiliano was dethroned a little after three years, being captured and executed by Republican forces. The dates on the reverse of this medal pertain to the couple's first entrance into Mexico City in 1864 and Maximiliano's execution in Querétaro in 1867.

103328 | UNITED STATES. Christopher Columbus/"Committee of 100" white metal Medal. Issued 1893. Commemorating the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America (57mm, 58.41 g, 12h). By Charles Frederick Naegele for Gorham Mfg. Co. in New York.

CHRISTOPHER COLVMBVS, bust of Columbus facing slightly left in central medallion; around, Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria between dolphins and set upon wave-like border // OCTOBER XII MCCCCXCII / TO COMMEMORATE THE FOVR / HVNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF / THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA BY / CHRISTOPHER COLVMBVS / BY AVTHORITY OF THE / COMMITTEE OF ONE / HVNDRED CITIZENS / OF NEW YORK / OCTOBER XII MDCCCXCII in ten lines; crowned coat-of-arms of Castile and León above; Union shield below. Edge: Minor bruise on the obverse between 4h and 5h noted for completeness, otherwise plain.

Eglit 98A; Starlust ST-eg-98b; Rulau B19. Choice Mint State. Lustrous and highly brilliant.

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.

103342 | UNITED STATES & GERMANY. Woodrow Wilson cast iron Medal. Issued 1915. American Neutrality (57mm, 93.60 g, 12h). By Karl Goetz in München.

• WOODROW • WILSON • / LIBERTY • NEVTRALITY • HVMANITY, bust of U.S. president Woodrow Wilson facing slightly right, wearing laurel wreath and stole decorated with imperial eagle of Germany and double eagle of Austria-Hungary // AMERIKA'S NEVTRALES • HANDELN (America's "neutral" action), Uncle Sam seated left on cannon balls, presenting battleship and holding bag of money [$]100[,]000; canon in background. Edge: Some light filing marks as made, otherwise plain.

Kienast 149; The Art of Devastation, p. 143, fig. 6 & p. 274, no. 69; Böttcher Coll. 5428. Mint State Details. Deep forest green-charcoal surfaces, with dustier highlights around the devices; a few very minor spots of rust are noted, fairly consistent with the metal type, and accounting for the designation.

Following the outbreak of the European conflict that would become the world's first war, the United States immediately wanted to refrain from entering into the fray, with President Woodrow Wilson declaring that America would have a policy of strict and impartial neutrality. What was expressed publicly by the government, however, didn't match private sentiments, with numerous American institutions lending financial support to the Allies, giving the United States a stake in the outcome. After the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, sentiments shifted even further, with increased support of not only continuing financial aid, but also outright entry into the growing conflict. This medal pokes fun at Wilson's neutrality as seen from the German point of view, with Uncle Sam handing over money and munitions to Germany's enemies.

103362 | SWEDEN. Alfred Nobel gilt silver Award Medal. Issued circa 2024 for participation on the nominating committee for the prize in physics or chemistry (27mm, 13.06 g, 12h). By Erik Lindberg (in 1901), and struck by Sporrong.

Bust left, wearing frock coat; ALFR• / NOBEL – NAT• / MDCCC / XXXIII / OB• / MDCCC / XCVI across field // REG • ACAD • SCIENT • SVEC, crowned and winged coat-of-arms of Sweden; radiant North Star above. Edge: SPORR 925.

Ehrensvärd 21. PCGS SP-68. Highly attractive matte yellow surfaces. No doubt one of the more enthralling, nearly-flawless examples of the type that one will encounter. Please note that the TrueView for this medal is cropped near the bottom of the obverse, giving the impression that the medal is not perfectly round.

One of Lindberg's early tasks was the creation of the Nobel Prize medals, the Nobel institution for the awarding of these prizes having been newly established. Outside of the Peace Prize (presented instead in Oslo) and the Economics Prize (created much later by the Sveriges Riksbank and not considered part of the Nobel canon), Lindberg's renditions continue to be used for the prize medals to this day, as well as the medals presented to the respective nominating committees. Though the actual prize medals are almost never encountered in the market, the nominating medals do appear and have become quite popular, as they are generally as close as one can realistically get to an actual prize medal.