NUMISMAGRAM MEDAL SELECTIONS: JULY 5, 2026

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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 27, 2026, Article 14

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

102998 | UNITED STATES & GERMANY. Colonial America and Preußen (Prussia) silver Medal. Issued 1763. The Treaty of Hubertusburg and the end of the Seven Years' War (French and Indian War in America) (44mm, 21.90 g, 12h). By Johann Leonhard Oexlein.

IAM REDIRE AVDET (now she dares to return...), Astraea/Virgo standing facing, head right, holding scepter and grain ear; mountains and plowman in background; in two lines in exergue, GERMANIA / PACATA (...with Germany being at peace) // NVNCIA PACIS (the messenger of Peace), view of the Hubertusburg Palace; above, Fama (Rumor) flying right, blowing in one trumpet and holding another; D 15 FEBR MDCCLXIII in exergue. Edge: Plain.

Betts 446; Pax in Nummis 595; Olding 931; Henckel 1658. PCGS AU-58. Exceptionally lustrous and vibrant, with some darker toning populating the peripheries. An enchanting near mint example with great eye appeal. Christopher McDowell, in Medals of the Americas, The Betts Companion (1747-1763), sheds new light upon the female figure gracing the obverse of these types, whom we have long described as Germania, but has now been more accurately described as Astraea/Virgo.

Sometimes referred to as 'World War Zero,' given its scale overall number of belligerent powers, the Seven Years' War began primarily with Austria's desire to recover Silesia from the Kingdom of Prussia. Since Great Britain had been aiming to increase her colonial possessions in the New World at the expense of France, the strife in the American theater began to merge with that in Europe, resulting in a legitimate global conflict, with every major European power taking the side of either Great Britain/Prussia or France/Austria. In addition to North America and Europe, skirmishes also played out in Central America, the western coast of Africa, India, and the Philippines. Ultimately, a peace was achieved through the Treaty of Paris, formally ending all conflicts save for the Silesian question; the Treaty of Hubertusburg, signed five days later, ended the issue between Prussia and Austria, formally ending the war.

Hubertusburg Palace was begun in 1721 at the behest of August II ‘the Strong,' the Elector of Sachsen (Saxony) and King of Poland, and completed just three years later in 1724. The naming for the new palace emanated from the fact that August commissioned its construction on 3 November during the feast of St. Hubertus. What was originally a baroque castle—one of the largest in Europe at the time—was rebuilt in the decades following August's death by his son and successor, August III—this time in rococo fashion. Used a great deal as a hunting lodge, the palace was left virtually unoccupied at the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756. Upon the conclusion of the war in that theater, a peace treaty was ratified there, though furniture from nearby venues needed to be retrieved in order to furnish the mostly empty palace, as it had been wholly plundered during the war. Shortly thereafter, its use as a leisure residence was over, as it served as a military hospital during the Napoleonic Wars and a penitentiary during the second half of the 19th century.

103556 | FRANCE. National Convention bell metal Medal. Issued 1792/Year 1 of the Republic (38mm, 12h). By André Galle in Lyon.

LIBERTE FRANÇOISE / L'AN I DE LA R F, head of Liberty left, with hair flowing freely and with pole surmounted by Phrygian cap over far shoulder // A LA / CONVENTION / NATIONALE / PAR LES / ARTISTES REUNIS / DE LYON / PUR METAL / DE CLOCHE / FRAPPE EN / MDCCXCII in ten lines; all within garlanded oak wreath.

Mazard 318a; Guilloteau 338; Bramsen 190b. PCGS MS-62. Dark chestnut-brown surfaces, with some appealing brilliance that elevates the finer details of the portrait, with a minor stain noted below it. On account of the composition (melted down bells), the level of craftsmanship of surviving examples tends to be on the poorer side.

A popular and attractive type that clearly drew great inspiration from the Libertas Americana medal issued a decade prior, and paralleled the contemporary American coinage during the mint's initial outputs of "flowing hair" designs.

103348 | UNITED STATES & ITALY. Christopher Columbus/"Memento" white metal Medal. Issued 1893 for the Columbian Exposition in Chicago (59mm, 80.87 g, 12h). By Ludovico Pogliaghi & Angelo Cappuccio for Stefano Johnson in Milano.

MEMENTO OF THE WORLD'S FAIR / CHICAGO 1893, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, robed bust facing slightly left // The fruits of Columbus's first voyage: Winged personification of Civilization facing slightly left, head right, surrounded by Genii representing Education, Commerce, and Industry; to lower right, native chief, maiden, and two warriors crouching defensively; at a distance, coastline with the U.S. Capitol before rising sun; around, border comprised of alternating stars and state shields. Edge: Plain.

Eglit 105; Starlust ST-eg-105wm; Rulau p. 100 note. Choice Mint State. Highly flashy and radiant in the fields, with some scattered hairlines noted, but great overall contrast between fields and devices.

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. In this case, the so-called "Civilization" medal was produced commemorating the quadricentennial in Italy by the highly-accomplished medal manufacturer, Stefano Johnson in Milano. The reverse for the "Civilization" type was then paired the following year with a modified obverse and English inscription used for the Columbian Exposition held in Chicago.

103641 | UNITED STATES. New Netherlands Tercentenary bronze Medal. Issued 1914 for the 300th anniversary of the founding of New York City (69mm, 128.44 g, 12h). By Paul Manship for the Circle of Friends, and struck by Joseph K. Davison & Sons in Philadelphia.

TERCENTENARY NEW YORK / 1914, armored, draped, and mural-crowned civic personification of New York City seated facing on throne, holding torch and building model; to left and right, respectively, shields bearing serpent-entwined caduceus and anchor (representing commerce and shipping), each surmounted by Phrygian cap; cornucopiae in garlanded cartouche in exergue // NEW NETHERLAND FOUNDED / 1614, Dutchman, holding musket set upon ground, and Native American, holding pipe and longbow, standing facing one another, in background between, ship under sail right, with small windmill to upper left; in exergue, beaver right in garlanded cartouche. Edge: CIRCLE OF FRIENDS / DAVISON PHILA.

Alexander COF-11.1; Marqusee 253; 100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens 162. Choice Mint State. Tan-brown surfaces, with a mostly matte aspect. A very rare and sublime issue from one of the more popular American medalists of the early 20th century.

103614 | UNITED STATES. Ruth Bader Ginsburg bronze Medal. Issued 2013. Jewish-American Hall of Fame series: commemorating the second woman (and first Jewish woman) on the US Supreme Court (48mm x 46mm, 76.96 g, 12h). By Eugene Daub for the Highland mint.

JUSTICE - RUTH / BADER / GINSBURG, robed bust facing slightly right, wearing her distinctive jabot // Moses seated facing, holding Ten Commandments; in five lines in exergue, THE DEMAND / FOR JUSTICE RUNS / THROUGH THE ENTIRETY / OF THE JEWISH / TRADITION. Edge: 065.

JAHF 44. Choice Mint State. Tan-bronze surfaces, with some darker antiqued hues in the recesses. Serially numbered 65 of 100 produced.