What Once Was Lost, Now Is Found

harasha · February 25, 2021 5:51AM

I spent about 15 years trying to find a Clement VI medal like this one. I finally found one, from a German vendor, last October. Took about 4 months to get here! Thought it was lost. Anyway, this medal is a recast, I believe, from the late 18th, early 19th century, when such recasts were popular. A fairly poor one, admittedly, and may even have been part of a series featuring the handing off of the Keys of the Kingdom. Nevertheless, 15 years before finding even this one. Happy camper, me.

angelo43 · February 25, 2021 7:41AM

Sending some older ones to Heritage in a couple weeks for auction Keep a lookout for them

harasha · February 25, 2021 10:17AM

@angelo43 I certainly will.

PillarDollarCollector · February 25, 2021 3:25PM

Congrats!!

291fifth · February 25, 2021 3:52PM

Do you know when the original medal was first cast? Was it 1342-52 or much later?

harasha · February 25, 2021 8:07PM

@291fifth I would hesitate to speculate. Theoretically, I suppose, the original would have been cast during the time of the actual papacy, but I have seen the reverse on other recasts. The original may have been cast for a series much later in time.

Iosephus · February 25, 2021 9:20PM

The medal as an art form did not exist (excepting a couple of precursors) until Pisanello invented it c. 1438/9, and the earliest known contemporary medal of a pope is for Nicholas V (1455).

This piece is from a large "restitution" series of papal medals, which Modesti identifies as Italian and from c. 1590/1600 (CNORP V, no. 1889). There were 13 stock reverse designs that were used to cover the entire series of pontiffs.

harasha · February 26, 2021 11:54AM

@Iosephus Well darn, I knew you would get back with the answer!

What Once Was Lost, Now Is Found

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