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1929 Czechoslovakia 10 Dukaten Commemorative Medal

After a 4.5 year hunt since I first saw this medal listed in the Krause "Unusual World Coins" guide, I finally purchased a nice example. These don't come up for sale very often in gem, or even UNC for that matter, with an original mintage of 3,259 pieces. This one was sold by fellow board member Preussen, and is item #265 in my horse-themed numismatic collection.



Strictly speaking, this is a commemorative medal (not a coin intended for circulation) with nominal value of 10 Dukaten, struck in 1929 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the assassination and death of Duke Wenceslas (or more commonly known as St. Wenceslas).



The Krause guide for this medal describes it as commemorating the 1000th anniversary of the introduction of Christianity to Bohemia. This is not what the medal was struck to commemorate, as Christianity was prevalent in Moravia and Bohemia some 100 years before the year 929. I surmise that some of the confusion comes from the date of 929 -- at the time the medal was struck, scholars mostly assigned a death year to St. Wenceslas of 929. However, since the early 20th century, most scholars agree St. Wenceslas was likely assassinated in 935, not 929. Nonetheless, this is just one of many examples where you can't always believe descriptions offered in the Krause guide (and other guides).



The medal was designed by Otakar Spaniel (b. 1881 - d. 1955), and was struck at the mint in Kremnica (Kremnitz). Kremnica was among the major mining towns of the world during the Middle Ages and modern times due to the abundant gold ore deposits in the Kremnica Mountains. Gold mining and coin production in Kremnica culminated in the 14th and 15th centuries. As one of the most important centers of Protestant Reformation in the country, the town belonged to the Protestant "League of Seven Mining Towns". The last gold was extracted in Kremnica in 1970, when all the mines were closed.



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Denomination: Medallic Issue 10 Ducats

Theme: 1000th Anniversary of the death of St. Wenceslas

Mintage: 3,259 pieces

Mint: Kremnica (Kremnitz)

Material: 0.987 silver

Weight: 30.05 gm

Diameter: 40 mm

Reference: Krause XM6



Obverse: Duke Wenceslas with banner. Shield with heraldic eagle in left field.

Legend: ROZVZPOMEN SE - NA SVE PLEME (translated roughly as "do not forget our homeland")



Reverse: Duke Wenceslas with banner on horse left, flanked by two angels. Anniversary dates below denote the 1000th anniversary of the death of St. Wenceslas (929-1929).



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Below are my images, and the images from PCGS. As is almost always the case in my experience, the PCGS images are red-shifted. However, the PCGS images do show off the pristine surfaces of this medal. It is beautifully toned in light champagne shades, with satiny luster and sharp details. An example I'm proud to have in my collection!



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-Brandon
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My sets: [280+ horse coins] :: [France Sowers] :: [Colorful world copper] :: [Beautiful world coins]
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Comments

  • STLNATSSTLNATS Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭
    Great medal and one I wasn't aware of at all. Interesting design and the obverse legend is not a little ironic given what happened a few years later. Congrats!



    Always interested in St Louis MO & IL metro area and Evansville IN national bank notes and Vatican/papal states coins and medals!
  • Jackthecat1Jackthecat1 Posts: 1,122 ✭✭✭
    Very nice medal with an interesting design.
    Member ANS, ANA, GSNA, TNC



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  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,466 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lovely medal and thanks for the backstory to make it all that much more interesting.
    In memory of my kitty Seryozha 14.2.1996 ~ 13.9.2016 and Shadow 3.4.2015 - 16.4.21
  • brg5658brg5658 Posts: 2,384 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: STLNATS

    Great medal and one I wasn't aware of at all. Interesting design and the obverse legend is not a little ironic given what happened a few years later. Congrats!





    The legend is a phrase from the St. Wenceslas Chorale, a hymn from around the 12th century or earlier. It is one of the oldest Czech songs. It's use on the 1929 medal is likely related to the nationalism and patriotism felt at the time, only 11 years after the founding of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918 (and the end of the Bohemian Kingdom).



    -Brandon
    -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
    My sets: [280+ horse coins] :: [France Sowers] :: [Colorful world copper] :: [Beautiful world coins]
    -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

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