Featured Karl Goetz Medals, Post Yours

Stack’s Bowers had a medals auction of Richard Jewell last month. The Sower came from there. The other came from a coin dealer who also has a goodly number of medals.

 

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Here’s Goetz’s “The Historical Golden Pen”

THE HISTORICAL GOLDEN PEN
(Die Historiche goldene Feder

1919, Cast bronze, Satirical medal, 59.4mm, 49.30g.

1. Obverse: A quill and the Treaty of Versailles is shown with the signatures of Wilson, Lloyd George, and Clemenceau along with two unknown Germans, Herman Mueller and Dr. Bell. Inscription, "von den Deutschen nicht benzut" (not used by the Germans), Dated, June 28, 1919. K G in exergue bisected by document and seal.
   
   Reverse: A hand, labeled "Serajewo"and holding a burning torch, rises from the ground and sets the world on fire. Another hand, marked "Versailles", feeds the raging flames with a broken and dead peace palm. Inscription, "Gedenktag zweier Weltverbrechen" (A Day of Commemoration for Two World Crimes.)
   
   To commemorate the assassination in Serajewo in 1914 and the signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty in 1919, both events falling on the same day but five years apart.
   
   Description from KarlGoetz.com

 

Here’s a new arrival — a Karl Goetz World War I-era medal called “The Treaty of September 1914.” Britain, France and Russia agreed not to sign separate peace agreements with Germany. Lots of typical sarcasm from the German Goetz.





K-144

TREATY OF SEPTEMBER 1914
(Septembervertrag der Entente)

1914 Blackened Cast Iron satirical medal, 57.5mm, 72.60g, Frankenhuis 1413, Ex-Karlgoetz.com Collection

Obverse: "Treaty of September 1914." On document written by bear "We do not make a separate peace. Iswolsky, Delcassé, Grey."

Reverse: Russian bear, British bulldog and French coq in full physical combat. Inscription, "We know how to handle each other."

From KarlGoetzMedals.com

 

Here is a Karl Goetz medal that arrived today (K-432).

OBVERSE: Gustav Stresemann, who served as Germany’s foreign minister from 1923 until his death in 1929. He was the co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926.

REVERSE: The tombstones represent key negotiations that Stresemann participated in, including setting post-World War I borders, Germany’s admission to the League of Nations in 1926 and the Young Plan in 1929 to settle Germany’s war reparations.

The tombstones, along with the weeping willow, apparently tell us what Goetz thought of these events in relation to Germany’s future.

 

Here’s my latest Karl Goetz medal — “Revolution in Bavaria.” It’s his sarcastic take on the short-lived Bavarian Republic during the German Revolution in 1918-19. It was intended to be a socialist state known as the Munich Soviet Republic.

Additional information from karlgoetzmedals.com



K-214

REVOLUTION IN BAVARIA
(Kurt Eisner, Umsturz in Bayern)

1918, Cast bronze, Satirical medal, 58.0mm, 63.0g, Frankenhuis 1487.

Obverse: Caricature of Bavarian social-democrat Kurt Eisner, mounted on the Bavarian Lion wearing a Liberty Cap. In border, "Und Minister President bin ich, Curt Eisner•I•" (And prime-minister am I, Curt Eisner •I•). In exergue, "8•Nov•1918".

Reverse: Death, lifting two doors from their hinges; one is decorated with the Bavarian Coat of Arms and marked wiith date 1180, which suggests the regentship of Wittelsbacher since 1180; the other door is dated 1808 and inscribed, "Verfassung" (Constitution). In his right hand he holds a balance scale with a pipe on one side and a crown on the other. On the ground lies the shattered king's crown and orb. Inscription, "Umsturz • in • Bayern" (Revolution in Bavaria). K G at the base of the two pillars.

 

Around the time this medal was made Bavaria was acting quite independently of the German Weimer Republic. In 1923 Hitler was sentenced for his Beer Hall putsch and served his extremely light sentence in a Bavarian fortress. Note that he was charged with trying to overthrow the government by force and only had to serve a little less than 1 year. He was allowed visitors (up to apparently ~ 150 per day!!!), his supporters & gifts as well as a nice clean room with a typewriter to write Mein Kampf.

I think he may have been sentenced by a Bavarian court but will have to check. A very historical piece!

I'm also looking for some of the more common Goetz medals but am not having any luck.

 

Chris, Often Goetz had to tool casting flaws on very large medals like the one you have, it's all part of the finishing process. For NGC to make note of this on the slab was foolish .

 

This Karl Goetz medal is called Refusal of the German Peace Overtures. In late 1916, the Germans made moves toward a peace negotiation, which was rejected by the Allies. The obverse is obvious; on the reverse Goetz has Britain’s Lloyd George and a Russian ally shoving the bird into a cage. The war continued.



K-187

REFUSAL OF THE GERMAN PEACE OVERTURES
(Friedensangebot der Mittelmächte)

1916, Blackened Cast Iron, satirical medal, 57.9mm, 52.60g.

Obverse: Two armored hands protect a dove with an olive branch in its beak. Inscription: "Friedensangebot der Mittelmächte, 12 Dezember, 1916." (Peace offer from the Central Powers). K G in field below.

Reverse: Lloyd George allows the dove to be put into the cage while the door is held open by a trusty Russian. Poincare holds back all the other surly looking allies. Inscription: "Die Trauben" (The Doves).

Grade: VZ

From KarlGoetzMedals.com

 

https://karlgoetz.com/

This site is a treasure trove. Dig into the FAQ and you can see how the ownership of the Kienast books' copyright was moved on to the owner of the website.

The only one I've got. A very old shot (pre fancy camera and done with a cell phone, probably an iPhone 6...so not my best work).

 

I saw a Karl Goetz medal about the same topic. It shows the German Peace proposals being debated & rejected in Parliament.

 

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson takes his turn with Karl Goetz with a medal entitled "Wilson's Successes."

On the obverse, Wilson is appealing to the dragon (China) to declare war. China did not, but sent thousands of laborers to help Great Britain, France and Russia.

On the reverse, it seems Wilson got a less-than-enthusiastic response from other potential allies.



K-194
WILSON'S SUCCESSES

(Wilson's Werbung bei den Neutralen)

1917, Cast bronze, satirical medal, 57.0mm, 59.60g, Frankenhuis 1471.

Obverse: Uncle Sam, holding a branch of palm behind his back, whistles to a dragon (China) to garner its attention into declaring war on Germany. In border, "Werbung" (Recruiting).

Reverse: Four persons in their national costumes (viz- Scandinavia, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland) seated on a bench with their backs to the whistle call on the obverse. In border, "Wilson's Erfolge 1917"- (Wilson's successes). Newspaper reads "Skandinav• Neutralit•" (Scandinavian Neutrality). KG next to left bench leg.

From: KarlGoetz.com

 

I can't find any tooling on the reverse either. Heck I can't even find the reverse picture.

Mega Slabs: wondering if NGC would slab my collection of Roman Aes Grave Aes? Max is just short of 300 grams. I prefer to carry pieces of carpet around with me and use those on the floor if anyone wants to hold one.

 

Over the past month there have been 2 significant auctions of Goetz medals. Last month Heritage had a sale of graded examples. Yesterday CNG sold a number of raw ones. I feel like I was bidding against the same person in both. On most lots the price far exceeded what I wanted to pay. In the end, between the 2 sales, I added 3 pieces.



Weimar Republic bronze "Gustav II Adolf" Medal 1932-Dated MS64 Brown NGC, Kienast-473. 60mm. By Karl Goetz. GVSTAV · II · ADOLF KONIG SCHWEDEN, Half-right bust / Six lines of text, the Eye of Providence above and Globus Cruciger below. Commemorating the 300th anniversary of the death of Gustav II Adolf, King of Sweden.



GERMANY, German Empire. New Year’s Day 1918. Cast Æ Medal (88mm, 201.12 g, 12h). By Karl Goetz. Dated 1 January 1918. ZVM 1. JANVAR 1918, German soldier standing facing on battlefield, holding sword to breast as cross; emblems of art and science to left and right; in five lines across field, GANZ = EVROPA/DIE GAN-ZE WELT/DIE GAN-ZE WELT/WIRD = DEVTSCH/WER DEN! (all Europe, the whole world, the whole world shall become German!); K · GOETZ to lower right / Large oak tree; below, monument of Henrich Heine decorated with radiant eye and inscribed HEIN/RICH/HEINE/–/1844; in six lines across field, VON DIESER SENDVNG V/VNIVERSAL HERRSCHAFT/DEVTSCH LANDS/TRÆVME ICH OFT/WENN ICH VNTER/EICHEN WANDLE (of this mission and universal power of Germany I often dream while walking under oaks). Edge: K · GOETZ. Kienast 201. Brown surfaces, traces of deposits. As made.

From the PS Collection of Medals of the Great War. Ex Westfälische Auctionsgesellschaft 58 (13 September 2011), lot 2732.



GERMANY, German Empire. The Republic of China Joins the Allies. Cast Æ Medal (57mm, 60.51 g, 12h). By Karl Goetz. Dated 1917. WERBUNG (Recruitment), Uncle Sam, holding palm frond behind his back, standing left and whistling to dragon (China) right / WILSON”S ERFOLGE 1917 (Wilson’s successes), three men (Scandinavia, Spain, and Switzerland), and one woman (Netherlands), seen from behind, seated on bench in meadow; Scandinavia reads newspaper with header SKANDINAV ·/NEUTRALIT · in two lines; Netherlands hold tulip, and Switzerland holds crossbow; K/G to left. Edge: K · GOETZ. Kienast 194. Brown surfaces, slightly worn at high points. As made.

 

Somehow I missed both sales. However, my economics are not going well and I am exceptionally conservative on coin pricing at this time.

Do you recall if they had any of the common Black Shame on the Rhine (1920?) pieces? I forget the number, it may be Knass 262. Also looking for an ORIGINAL copy of the book on these: not the recent reprint.

 

I don't believe they had one of those in either sale. I have the reprint of the book myself and haven't seen an original for sale any time recently.

 

I was asleep at the wheel and missed both of these sales. Looks like you made some excellent scores!

 

NGC photographed my entire pattern collection in high res as part of a project to flesh out their world census, so here are some updated photos of my copper Goetz krone (NGC MS63 RB). The bisecting line on the obverse is from a planchet defect (as struck).:

 

I added 2 more in the past few weeks.


GERMANY, German Empire. temp. Wilhelm II. 1888-1918. Cast FE Medal (58mm, 72.59 g, 12h). Peace Negotiations of Pope Benedict XV. By Karl Goetz. Dated 15 August 1917. VER LOR ENES SPIEL (Lost game), Allies on a sinking ship: Woodrow Wilson trying to save a bag of gold, David Lloyd George holding onto mast; Raymond Poincaré behind in fear; Russian seated djected to right / 15 • AV GVS T • 19 17, dove, holding olive branch, flying right, supporting papal tiara; papal kety below; K · G in exergue. Kienast 193. Black brown surfaces. As made.


GERMANY, FRANCE, SCOTLAND & ITALY. Pope Benedict XV's Support cast iron Medal. Dated 1914. "Anbiederung im Vatikan"—on the occasion of the Entente powers soliciting the support of the Pope

Diameter: 57mm
Weight: 65.16 g

By K. Goetz in München.

MEIN REICH IST NIT VON DIESER WELT (my realm is not of this world), Pope Benedict XV seated right on throne, looking toward Europa (represented by Death) riding a bull into the Gates of Hell / ANBIEDERUNG (adjustment), Pope Benedict in fishing boat right, hauling in net filled with Marianne (personification of France) and receiving satchel of money from Scottish sailor to right. Edge: Some filing marks as made.

Kienast 157 Gem Mint State. Deep charcoal gray surfaces, with good relief and some alluring brilliance.

Ex Leigh Park Collection.

Calling World War I "the suicide of civilized Europe,' Pope Benedict XV came to the papacy a little over a month after the outbreak of hostilities. Though he had been created a cardinal only earlier in the year, his experience in diplomacy was a key aspect in garnering him the support and votes needed to be elected to lead the Holy See. He embarked upon a great balancing act, attempting to obtain peace in Europe while also attempting not to alienate any countries, especially those that had already moved further away from Catholicism and Rome. Here, Goetz alludes to the bribing of the Pope by the Entente, but this remains a fanciful creation by the author.

 

NGC photographed my entire pattern collection in high res as part of a project to flesh out their world census, so here are some updated photos of my copper Goetz krone (NGC MS63 RB). The bisecting line on the obverse is from a planchet defect (as struck).: (Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/karl-goetz-medals-post-yours.320431/page-2#post-15301809)

The incision across the face of the obverse is actually from Goetz cancelling the hub with what was likely, a knife. I have seen other examples in both silver and copper with the same incuse line. It IS NOT a planchet flaw. Unfortunately these examples were restruck, probably by Guido Goetz, sometime after his fathers death in 1950.
Why not deface the reverse too? Hard telling but likely he was thinking the way I do, what good would a reverse only pattern matter.

In a nutshell, only pieces without this intentional defacement were struck under the direction of Karl Goetz.

 

Good info, thanks. I had figured since the line was incuse and increased in width with the height of the relief that it was a scratch on the planchet (it is barely there in the fields). I hadn't considered the possibility of a hub cancel because it's not much of a cancel. You barely see it at all at arm's length.

Any theory as to why he didn't put a big X over it with a chisel or the like? I haven't seen any other examples with this line, do you have photos of others? I did know that Guido restruck this medal, but was not aware that there was a way to tell. Do all of his restrikes of this medal have this cancel?