bqcoins

I saw this in my dealer's tray today and asked him about it. He didn't know anything other than it was some kind of WWI medal, from belgium. He offered it to me for $10. I usually pass on most exonumia, but something in this just called out and I had to have it, not even knowing anything about it. The first set of pics is with a flash and the second without the flash.







After about 30 to 40 minutes of digging on the net I found out almost everything one needs to know. It is a Belgian medal, titled "American War Relief to Belgians" from 1914. Designed by Godefroid Devreese, the most prolific medal designer of his time doing 400 to 500+, it features the busts of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth on the obverse, and an allegorical scene of Lady Liberty giving grain to the hungry and reads American Generosity - Belgian Gratitude along with the year 1914. A relief ship is pictured in the background. If anyone has any other information on this piece, please let me know.

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BQ
Sometime Numismatic Consultant
See my Bust Halves here: http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/f...albumview=grid
See my Holey coins here:http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/f...albumview=grid

borgovan

Holy cow! That's an awesome piece!!

Congratulations. I'd pay $10 for that anyday.

mark_h

Cool find.

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the other mark
Best Baan Community
Empty airtite seeks unwanted coins. All sizes welcome.

900fine

Wow !

Lemmee see now... $10 buys lunch for two at Taco Bell...

... or this really fabulous medal.

Easy call !

Congrats, BQ !

Hobo

Medals are not my area but I would say you got a bargain.

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No state shall emit bills of credit, make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts, coin money . . . - US Constitution, Article 1, Section 10

ANA LM-3799; OHNS LM-59; SUSCC R-4005. All coins stored in bank safe deposit box.

Catbert

Bravo! There is someithing about medals that appeal to me. Larger coins, larger designs, and many times rare compared to the usual mintages of regular coinage. Thanks for posting your new piece.

bqcoins

After more digging it turns out that in 1909 Mr. Devreese was named the Commemorative Medalist for 1910 for the American Numismatic Society. He ended up designing the medal obverse commemorating the French Numismatist Ernest Babelon, the reverse was designed by Rudolf Bosselt.

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BQ
Sometime Numismatic Consultant
See my Bust Halves here: http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/f...albumview=grid
See my Holey coins here:http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/f...albumview=grid