Breaking a hiatus, a recent-ish medal purchase
Stork
Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
This one is fun on many levels. I'm a theme collector and a 'whatever strikes my fancy' sort. I spotted this medal on eBay ages ago and the seller had a huge price on it. I made an offer...I felt like it was way too strong of an offer as it was a restrike. That said, I've never seen one before in my less than thorough searches. In a year there were no more hits on it. But, my 'way too strong offer' was only 1/3 of his discounted (!) asking price and he just could not take it as it was a consignment. So I watch it and watch it and watch it and watch it. I guess he was told to blow it out and finally it was up as a true auction. I bid strong (not as strong as my original offer) and happily got it. My poor heirs, they will be lucky to clear 25% of what I've spent...but I get to enjoy.
It's pretty, it's well executed (I can only imagine what the original might look like), it features a Naval hero (Go Navy!), and has an awesome horse-based mythological design. And, relatively speaking, a bargain as I had offered a higher price back in the day.
Sadly it's in an NGC large sized tomb. I tried to get my slab cracker (aka husband) to take the band saw but he declined. So it's stuck for awhile. There are the usual scuff marks unfortunately.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_von_Tegetthoff
And his monument in Austria (from wikicommons):
Comments
I would leave it in the NGC holder. Large medals like that are too easily damaged and the holder will protect it.
That's what my slab cracker said. The vast majority of my medals are raw though and it doesn't look right in my cabinet. Oh well. Until I decide to work the saw myself I'm stuck. And I value my fingers too much to experiment with it for a few years yet...
Not hard to get out! Just go round and round gently tapping the edges with a hammer and it will open up cleanly. I have done this so many times I have lost count. I have never damaged a coin. If you get more aggressive with the hammer be sure and wear safety glasses!
That said I would also leave it in the holder!
Do you know where this bronze medal was minted? You say a restrike, so is it a Medallic Arts product? Peace Roy
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It's in a slab so any and all edge markings are obscured. I doubt it's a US product though. More homework on my part is required. I have some references I can dig through and it has the name ' J. Tautenhayn' on it to start.
As for cracking, well, I defer to others on that. And, it is unlikely to be liberated any time soon. It's not like there's any real room in my display cabinet anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. I just like the medals raw in general. Most are not worthy of slabbing either due to value or condition. My most pricey one is huge wouldn't fit in any of the slabs I've seen so far anyway.
Image of medal in slab please.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Well done! Your patience paid off.
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heck of a monument too! Instead of using the band saw, lay the slab on the long edge on a cement surface and gently tap along the seam with a hammer. Then get a little less gentle until you induce cracks. Then flip and repeat. Should come apart easily within a minute or two with zero damage to your medal
Tautenhayn was an Austrian engraver based in Vienna in the second half of the 19th century, and made quite a few issues that are highly artistic and attractive like this one. If you are ever seeking an original, it looks like they go for $200-300, while the silver version without issues goes for around $500+.
Jeremy Bostwick
For exceptional works of medallic art, check out our current inventory at Numismagram!
Thanks! The original 'asking price' on this labeled restrike (and having never seen an original I have no idea) was over $1000!
That is the medal in the slab...careful cropping and no prongs on the bigger ones. Here's a quicker shot I had before the fancy cropping:
Also, thanks for the slab cracking input. Sounds like better techniques to use on this monster.
Full slab please Cathy if you have one.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
I don't have the full one, but one with the label. Otherwise I'll grab one with my phone when I get a chance. The full slab is too big for my set up.
OK, Thanks.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
@ajaan pm sent with some low quality phone pictures.